Our partnered Charities
The Dunedin Wildlife Hospital
The Dunedin Wildlife Hospital treats sick and injured native species from the heart of New Zealand's wildlife capital. Each year, over 600 patients come through their doors ranging from tiny geckos to mega fauna like NZ sea lions! Their busy team of wildlife vets look after some of our most iconic species including Hoiho (Yellow-eyed Penguin), Kākāpō, Kea and many more.
Launched in 2018, the Dunedin Wildlife Hospital quickly became an important part of the South Island's conservation community, particularly for Hoiho. Each year their team treat nearly 200 Hoiho ranging from day-old chicks to adults. In 2022, they successfully hatched Hoiho chicks in captivity for the first time adding to the techniques conservationists can use to help save this threatened species.
The treatment required to care for Dunedin Wildlife Hospital patients ranges significantly from a night or two of rescue and recovery, to complex surgeries when others are found after coming face-to-face with sharks or other predators. The Wildlife Hospital team often have to think outside of the box to help their patients and examples of their creativity include 3D printing a beak splint for an injured kiwi and sewing a penguin onesie to protect a sore spot.
The Dunedin Wildlife Hospital are critical to the care and survival of New Zealand's native wildlife and the team of keepers and penguins at Sea Life Kelly Tarltons are proud to advocate for such a worthy charity. Every donation is greatly appreciated and contributes a huge amount in making the hospital a truly sustainable operation.
Learn more about the Dunedin Wildlife Hospital at www.wildlifehospitaldunedin.org.nz
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Penguin Rescue NZ
Penguin Rescues purpose is to save New Zealand indigenous penguins by accomplishing self-sustaining populations who thrive in their natural environments. Penguin Rescue NZ are a practical based organisation who undertake a variety of tasks to ensure the survival of our rare and local penguin species with a focus on removing Yellow-Eyed Penguins from the endangered species list.
Building safe nesting houses are an important part of Penguin Rescues mission to provide protected areas for breeding colonies. Penguin Rescue manage known penguin habitats by planting trees and controlling invasive plant and animal species to maintain an ideal physical environment. Safe habitat spaces also bring peacefulness to the penguins ensuring they can rest, breed and survive undisturbed from human interference and predation.
Rehabilitation is undertaken at Penguin Rescue providing a sanction for injured or unwell penguins. It can take penguins months to recover from trauma even after physical injuries are healed. Penguin Rescue are there to support those individuals during difficult times by ensuring they have access to food, water and shelter in order to survive. It is a wonderful experience when penguins who have visited Penguin Rescues rehab center go on to live healthy and full lives even successfully raising chicks of their own.
Penguin Rescue NZ encourage public involvement by becoming familiar with New Zealand penguin habitats and how to keep them safe, reporting sick or injured penguins who may need rehabilitation and providing financial support to Penguin Rescue where possible. Any donations received are greatly appreciated and are contributing to providing physical safe havens for native penguins in New Zealand. The team of keepers and penguins at Sea Life Kelly Tarltons believe the work being done by Penguin Rescue is so important and are proud to donate proceeds from our own penguin paintings to Penguin Rescue.
