Penguins are a common patient at the hospital. Although the most common penguin species we treat are kororā/little blue, we regularly get crested penguins, especially tawaki/fiordland crested. Tawaki are larger and stockier than kororā, but not as tall as hoiho/yellow-eyed penguins. Crested penguins of all types sport these incredible yellow wispy 'eyebrows' or crests making them look quit#Tawakir#fiordlandcrestedpenguint#wildlifehospitalf#nzbirdsl#southislandwildlifehospitalfehospital ... See MoreSee Less

We are on the lookout for a green-fingered volunteer that can spare 1-2hrs a week in the warmer months (reducing to fortnightly over the colder months) to tend to the vegetation in the surrounds of the hospital. Please email volunteering@wildlifehospital.co.nz if you can help.
We would also gratefully receive any gardening tools that are still in usable condition if anyone is looking to rehome these. Please email admin@wildlifehospital.co.nz if you have anything to donate.
#gardener #charity #volunteering #wildlifehospital #southislandwildlifehospital ... See MoreSee Less

Fairy prions are one of many oceanic species of birds that end up in our care from being storm blown. Tītī wainui breed on offshore islands but spend most of their life at sea where they feed by skimming along the ocean surface or dipping into the surface water.
They can end up on the mainland after storms blow them inland. They typically reach us weak, underweight, and sometimes with injuries. Currently, there are several of these prions being cared for at the hospital.
Prions, petrels, and albatross all have similar beak designs with bulbous nostrils that stick up on top of their beak, and a hooked tip. These species have an enhanced sense of smell thanks to their tube-nose, and they use this to smell for prey. The structure also allows for salt elimination, following the ingestion of salt while feeding from seawater.
These birds need particular attention to their feet in care. They spend a lot of time on wing or sat on the ocean surface, therefore they don't spend a lot of time weightbaring on their feet. The unnatural environment of a hospital can make them prone to foot sores which need to be prevented or treated on top of other interventi#fairyprionp#tītīwainuia#nzbirdsb#wildlifehospitalp#southislandwildlifehospitalpital ... See MoreSee Less

2025 saw us breaking records with the highest annual patient numbers since our doors opened: 671. Now we have broken another record, with the highest patient numbers admitted for any January since our doors opened, with 119 patients admitted for care last month. If this trend continues, we would be expecting to surpass further patient records across the year.
Records like these are so bittersweet: while the team is proud of what they are achieving, it is sad that our services are needed this much. Wildlife hospitals around the world deal with consequences. They manage the pain and suffering of wildlife that results from a myriad and complex web of issues that are almost always human-driven, including climate change, pollution, fisheries impacts, habitat destruction and predator introduction. Only targeting the root problems will reduce the strain on wildlife hospitals.
To continue doing our mahi, we need financial support for the day-to-day running costs. But as our capacity gets stretched, we also need financial support for new purpose-built premises. If you, or your business can support our work, visit wildlifehospital.co.nz/help-us/ for donations (any $ amount gratefully accepted) or wildlifehospital.co.nz/become-a-sponsor/ if you are interested in sponsoring us.
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Beak design can tell you a lot about how a bird species feeds and forages. Australasian shovelers are filter feeders, sieving usually surface water or occasionally soft mud, through a feature of the bill called lamellae. They mostly feed out on the water rather than at the edge or on land.
This female kuruwhengi was one of a few birds brought to us suffering from botulism. The bacteria Clostridium botulinum produces the botulinum toxin under certain environmental conditions. This results in fluxes of birds coming to us afflicted with the effects of this neurotoxin. Unable to stand or swim, they cannot feed, putting them at risk of starvation, predation and ultimately death. Thankfully she fully recovered and has been released.
Thanks to the generous support of donors such as fellow swimmers, Scarborough Dippers Public Page, we are able to help care for the many swimming birds that come through our doors.
#australasianshoveler #kuruwhengi #nzbirds #wildlifehospital #southislandwildlifehospital ... See MoreSee Less