Teaching dogs not to kill kororā penguins trialled in Wellington

For the first time, a pilot training course to protect Wellington's kororā has been trialled by the Department of Conservation.

The aim is to decrease the likelihood — through avian avoidance training — of dogs approaching little blue penguins.

The training involved fitting participating dogs with electric collars while exposing them to scents, decoys, and deceased birds in a controlled situation.

"It has to be done with an electric collar," aversion trainer Willy Marsh said.

When sniffing at the penguin scent, the dog is given a mild but surprising corrective shock, discouraging them from approaching the birds in the future.

"To be successful, you really need both — you need the owner and the dog to understand why we do this," Marsh said.

Since December 2023, eight little blue penguins have been reported to the Department of Conservation as being killed by dogs in the Wellington region.

The little blue penguin/kororā was a declining species in New Zealand, with most now living on offshore islands where there was less disturbance.

Their biggest threats were dogs, cats, ferrets and stoats.

"It’s very important we keep our dogs under control, and away from these birds,” senior DOC ranger Elly Peters said.

Eastbourne resident Ross Gilmour said any penguiin crossing a beach and encountering a dog may decided against returning to its nest.

The training was brief, taking about 15 minutes and, once completed, participating dogs and owners were issued with a certificate.

The Department of Conservation said if enough dog owners showed interest in the pilot training course, it would put on more training sessions.