New Zealand environment and native animals affected by oil dump, a call for action goes out to help the little penguins.
In 2011, MV Rena dumped over 350 tonnes of oil into the ocean when it ran aground near Tauranga - making it one of NZ’s biggest marine environmental disasters.
Thousands of seabirds were killed. Particularly at risk were the little blue penguins and the rare New Zealand spotted dotterel.
Over 400 oiled little blue penguins were admitted to the oiled wildlife facility. A call went out across New Zealand for knitters to fashion special vests for the recovering penguins, to help them keep warm while they recuperated.
One outcome still to be determined from the oil spill is the ongoing effect on the ocean’s ecosystems in the area. It will take years to know the full impact of the oil spill and how the toxicity of the oil has affected bird.
