Three dead penguins found on cycleway development site

Wednesday, 30 August 2023

Another three kororā have been found dead on the construction site of a new cycleway connecting the Hutt Valley and Wellington, causing work to be temporarily shut down.

Waka Kotahi national manager infrastructure delivery Mark Kinvig said on Tuesday that three kororā/little blue penguins were found dead on the Ngā Ūranga ki Pito-One project site between Petone and Ngauranga Gorge.

“The death of these kororā, a taonga species, is deeply saddening to all involved in the Te Ara Tupua works.”

Kinvig said the birds’ remains had been returned to the sea.

With the discovery of three more dead kororā, the death toll for the endangered native bird caused indirectly or directly by construction of the new cycleway has risen to four.

Previously, a dead kororā was found near the cycleway construction site. The bird had been hit by a car, it was believed.

Kinvig said the Ngā Ūranga ki Pito-One and Tupua Horo Nuku (Marine Drive near Eastbourne) project sites had been shut down in the meantime as an investigation was underway.

He said the project had conditions in place to protect the birds’ habitats, with the penguins and other bird species being monitored closely as part of the project.

Before construction began, a strict management plan was developed to protect the birds from harm and discourage them from nesting in areas where construction would occur.

That was required under the project’s resource consent, Kinvig said.

The walking and cycling shared route -- which has been talked about for over a century - is expected to be a “game changer” for cyclists.

Currently bicycle riders looking to travel between Hutt Valley and Wellington must share State Highway 2 with vehicles driving at the 100kph limit.

Multiple cyclists have perished on the stretch of road, including Brent Norriss​, 65, who died while riding his bike along the highway near Horokiwi.