Admission Limited To:

Penguins

Report other native bird species:

Seabirds & Shorebirds

• Albatrosses

• Shearwaters

• Petrels

• Prions

• Gannets

• Penguins

• Shags

• Gulls

• Skuas

• Terns

• Dotterels

• Oystercatchers

Non-Seabirds

• Birds of Prey

• Passerines

• Waterfowl

If you encounter ill, injured, starving or orphaned native birds, please rescue and report immediately.

Kaikōura is a global seabird capital, with seabirds being the primary wildlife patients reported. Penguins, shearwaters, gulls and shags are most frequently admitted.

Project WellBird is limited to assisting unwell penguins, whilst capacity building to achieve a wildlife hospital centre. Any beach cast penguins require emergency care. Please complete our contact form, or inform the Department of Conservation.

For crash landed shearwaters suffering from light disorientation, please contact the Hutton’s Shearwater Charitable Trust on 027 442 4281.

For rescue assistance, please call the Department of Conservation via the DOC Hotline on 0800 362 468. Alternatively contact the Renwick DOC Office by phoning 03 572 9100, to request transfer to a local Kaikōura DOC ranger.

Please handover unwell native birds to the nearest vet clinic for assessment, transfer or euthanasia. VetCare Kaikoura opening hours are Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm, Sat 9am-12pm. Patients may be transferred to the South Island Wildlife Hospital for further diagnostics and long-term rehabilitation.

Ducklings typically requiring care are paradise shelducks (endemic) and mallards (introduced). Other species include grey teal (native) and Australasian shoveler (native). 

Please only uplift ducklings if these are orphaned (no parents observed), distressed, weak, hypothermic or injured. Lone ducklings found in backyards are primarily brought in by pet cats - all cat mouthed ducklings require care.

As a volunteer managed Trust focused on capacity building to achieve a wildlife hospital, enabling emergency penguin care, implementing wildlife reserves, and facilitating education; we are currently limited to improving outcomes for threatened seabirds in a global seabird capital. This means we are unable to aid ducklings directly.

The nearest wildlife hospital is able to admit endemic and native species, whilst non-natives such as mallard ducklings (which do not require a Wildlife Authority permit to hold) are reliant on foster carers. 

The Trust has a local duckling foster carer available for immediate short-term care, until paradise shelduck ducklings can be transferred to the South Island Wildlife Hospital, or mallard ducklings can be transferred to a long-term foster carer further afield for rearing and release.

Please rescue orphaned/unwell ducklings and contact our local foster carer on 027 231 2951. Keep ducklings safe and warm until handover.

Please rescue and report crash landed Hutton’s shearwaters for handover to the Hutton’s Shearwater Charitable Trust on 027 442 4281 or 021 026 96582. Injured shearwaters can be handed into the nearest vet clinic.

Grounded shearwaters require assessment for collision impact trauma, predation injuries, and poor body condition due to decreased ocean productivity.

Unwell shearwaters with a chance of recovery require transfer for treatment and rehabilitation; whilst those with poor prognosis require euthanasia at VetCare Kaikoura.

Shearwater breeding adults crash land from light disorientation during August-February. Post-assessment lively healthy shearwaters are released into the sea off wharves, boat ramps and slipways to let birds fly, swim or dive off. Albatross Encounter is an alternative option for release at sea.

The Hutton’s Hub next to the Department of Conservation (DOC) Office on 115 Ludstone Road is open for drop-offs from March-April during the fledgling season, for daily checks to assess and release crash landed fledglings.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) may intervene if a seal is:

- in poor condition and suffering;

- entangled in marine debris;

- in immediate danger;

- causing disruption, e.g. trapped on a road;

- being harassed by people or dogs;

- you suspect a wildlife crime/intentional harm.

It is an offence under the Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978 to disturb, harass, harm, injure or kill a seal; with a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment and fine of $250,000. Please report evidence of wildlife crimes immediately.

Please do not attempt to handle an unwell seal. If you are concerned that a seal is seriously injured, in danger or being harassed, please call the DOC Hotline on 0800 362 468.

Please note wildlife rehabilitators are not authorised to aid unwell seals in NZ.

Thousands of fur seals continue to starve in Kaikōura due to decreased ocean productivity (climate change and overfishing impacts), resulting in mass starvation. Distemper virus is an additional threat. Unfortunately due to the number of affected seals, there is no direct means of assisting unwell seals.

Report whale or dolphin strandings immediately to Project Jonah on 0800 4 WHALE (0800 494 253) or the Department of Conservation hotline on 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468).