The Penguin Keeper

Paula is a penguin keeper she does millions of jobs here are a couple of them: putting out rocks for gentoos and hand feeding the penguins! She has to wear 2 pairs of gloves 1 pair is to keep warm the 2nd pair is to protect the fish from any germs. She feeds them salmon smolt, sprats, krill, mussels, squid and herring with vitamins inside COOL! She cleans the pool 2 times a day. When cleaning the pool the gentoos nip her all the time. They drill into her head - MAN THAT WOULD HURT! She has to wear a dry suit that is NOT penguin proof. Millie & Squirt are imprinted that means a bit crazy because they think they are humans! Don’t try to hug one cause it will slap you with its cricket bat flippers!
By Meg
Year 4

THE PENGUIN KEEPER

The penguin keeper looks after the mad Gentoos. Squirt the famous penguin is a bit cuckoo in the head. They hand feed the penguins: salmon smolt, herring, mussel and krill. The penguin keepers have to clip their toenails.
By Leeym
Year 2

THE PENGUIN KEEPER

We were very lucky that Kyla's mum came to tell us about when she worked as a PENGUIN KEEPER at Kelly Tarlton's in Auckland.
The penguin keeper always feeds penguins by hand. The penguin keeper also has to make sure to put in new snow so the penguins temperature is leveled. The penguin keeper also has to clean the nesting rocks for the and KINGS and Gentoos. But be careful or else the KINGS will slap you if you do not keep moving to different rocks. The penguin keeper has to clean the slimy gross pool twice a week (24/7). OOOH watch out for the Gentoos if you don’t be aware they will nip you to your death! Some times they are friendly and some of them act like us.
By Jahdan
Year 5

THE PENGUIN KEEPER

We were very lucky that Kyla's mum came to tell us about when she worked as a PENGUIN KEEPER at Kelly Tarlton's in Auckland.
The penguin keeper Paula Brown works at Kelly Tarltons.
She hand feeds the penguins. The penguin keepers put vitamins in the fish. Each penguin has a band so each penguin gets a fish. What penguins eat salmon smolt, mussels, krill, herring and sprats. The mussels would be yummy.
She wears a drysuit and an air tank. She wears it to clean the pool. Just imagine wearing a drysuit - not penguin proof but no harm done.
What penguins are like – cute but violent with their thin strong flippers. They are also cheeky and naughty.
What problems does she have? Feeding the kings when they’re moulting, cleaning the pool - penguins will bite if you’re too long so don’t take too long.
I wish I could work there like Paula Brown.
By Marley
Year 3

THE PENGUIN KEEPER

We were very lucky that Kyla's mum came to tell us about when she worked as a PENGUIN KEEPER at Kelly Tarlton's in Auckland.


When she’s cleaning the pool the Gentoos nip her and bully her. Kings are feisty but don’t annoy her. Cleaning! What a job. The pool is scrubbed 3 times a week the rocks are thoroughly scrubbed and fresh snow is put down 2 times day. The enclosure is hosed down and the penguins have to be hand fed. Kings lay one egg and Gentoos lay two. They live in colonies. The penguins have bands so they know who’s who. The penguin keeper wears wet weather pants and a jersey because it is icy cold and wet in the enclosure.
By Manoj

Penguin Keeper

We were very lucky that Kyla's mum came to tell us about when she worked as a PENGUIN KEEPER at Kelly Tarlton's in Auckland.
The Penguin Keeper prepares for a cold FREEZING day at Kelly Tarltons. She wears a wooly jacket, over pants and gumboots. When cleaning it takes 2.5 hours everyday. This is what they speed to clean every single day: the pool, rocks, walls and rookery (where the Kings nest). Snow is put down 2x a day exhausting! And they have to prep the food that they feed to the penguins. This is what they feed to the perfect penguins: squid, krill, herring, salmon smolt, mussels and sprats. The Gentoo’s are like crazy kids. On the other hand the kings are like old men. If you get to close, the penguins will slap you CRAZY with their cricket bat flippers! When cleaning the pool Paula says “ The Gentoo’s beaks feel like drills going through the dry suit.” OUCH!!! After a long day of looking after the penguins she heads home.

By Sophie
Year 3

THE PENGUIN KEEPER

We were very lucky that Kyla's mum came to tell us about when she worked as a PENGUIN KEEPER at Kelly Tarlton's in Auckland.

Did you know Paula and the other penguin keepers feed the penguins in the penguin enclosure at Kelly Tarltons. They feed them by hand; krill, squid, mussels and herrings. They are hand fed so none miss out. Their keepers know which one is which because they have bands. The penguin keepers wear gloves, wetsuits and an air tank when they are in the water scrubbing the pool. The wet suit is to keep warm and to protect the divers from penguin pecks. The other hard jobs she does are cleaning the rocks and nests they are hard jobs to do because the Gentoos could nip you.
By Jack
Year 3

THE PENGUIN KEEPER

We were very lucky that Kyla's mum came to tell us about when she worked as a PENGUIN KEEPER at Kelly Tarlton's in Auckland.


In Kelly Taltons Paula has to feed the penguins; krill, fish, squid, salmon smolt, herring and mussels. She scrubs the bottom of the disgustingly dirty pool. Paula wears a wet suit. Paula even has to clip their toe nails. That all takes 2.5 hours every day. Paula has to gather rocks and stones for the Gentoo penguin’s nests. All of the Gentoos lay 2 eggs. They come from the sub Antarctic and on the Antarctic Peninsula. The penguin enclosure is kept REALLY clean. It stops the birds getting sick.
By Timu
Year 3

Check out this YOU TUBE video of Gentoo penguins in the wild...

We're goin mad on penguins!!

Sophie completed this reading activity based on topic specific vocabulary - penguins
By Sophie

Sandy King's visit

Sandy King from the Yellow- eyed Penguin Trust came to Halfmoon Bay School on Friday October 23. She talked to the students about yellow-eyed penguins. Sandy showed us a slide show of pictures that she took when she was working around the Island.
Here are some interesting facts about yellow-eyed penguins:
• Did you know the oldest recorded yellow-eyed penguin lived for 28 years!
• They usually live for 20 - 23 years.
• They are about 60 cm in height.
• Sandy King also has to microchip the penguin chicks with a big long needle gun.
• Yellow-eyed penguins are so smelly because they play in their poop.
• Yellow-eyed penguins lay two eggs in spring each year.
• In their lifetime they lay about 38 eggs but sadly only about 4 eggs will survive to make it to adults.
We learned loads from Sandy that we didn’t know.
These photos were taken by Sandy
By Marley and Sophie

Our YEP Project introduction

We live on Stewart Island, a very special place to live. The Island has only one school, named Halfmoon Bay School. The oldest student is Jahdan. He is ten. We have got 19 fit and active students in total. Everyone cares about the environment because it is our natural beauty. Jack's dad works for DOC (Department of Conservation). He monitors the Bravo Island Yellow Eyed Penguins. We are lucky that nearly everyone at Halfmoon Bay School has seen a Yellow Eyed Penguin.