The first goal has been reached!

What an amazing feat! Little over two weeks ago the crowdfunder went online and thanks to very generous backers the first goal has now been reached. That means that the extension of the GLS tag collection trip is a go! This will undoubtedly result in some fascinating insights on what these little birds are up to while they are away from the land. A big, big thank you goes to all the backers!

The crowdfunding campaign is not over though and neither is the seabird challenge. To prevent the fantastic momentum from seizing, I have added a stretch goal. The goal will be to enable a trip in late January next year to band baby 'flying penguins'! Banding of fledglings will allow me to assess juvenile mortality rates which in turn will provide insights on the population dynamics of this species. Understanding population dynamics is critical to fine-tuning conservation management, especially in a species that is as little-known as the 'flying penguin'! 

 

Only in 2016 the first juvenile of this population got photographed. In my humble opinion, it is the cutest thing in the world! (Image by Juliet O'Connell)

Let's keep the momentum! Spread the word and help the little 'flying penguins' a little further!