A little blue penguin expert is concerned that kororā made homeless by a marina development on Waiheke Island are trying to nest amid the construction.
The native kororā, or little blue penguins, have been spotted at Kennedy Point marina searching for somewhere safe to make their home.
Massey University's kororā biologist professor John Cockrem is concerned about their wellbeing.
He said the construction activities at Pūtiki Bay were having adverse effects on kororā.
"Once it became apparent how many penguins live in the rock wall, at that point it was very clear that Pūtiki Bay is not an appropriate place for a marina."
Prof Cockrem said it was an offence to knowingly disturb native wildlife.
"The construction activities are doing exactly that, they are knowingly disturbing and having adverse effects on the penguins."
In 2017, Auckland Council gave resource consent to Kennedy Point Boatharbour to build a luxury marina right next to the burrows of kororā.
Protesters have gathered around the marina construction site on Waiheke Island, where developers are removing rocks from part of an artificial wall that kororā live and nest in.
"Kororā, the little blue penguins are now engaged in breeding activities such as pair formation, pair bonding, nest building, and defending nest sites against other birds," Prof Cockrem.
"All of those breeding activities are underway and those activities will continue to be adversely affected by the construction work."
Kennedy Point Marina director Kitt Littlejohn disagreed, saying works were deliberately scheduled to take place outside the breeding season.
"All works are being undertaken in accordance with the robust procedures in our Kororā Construction Monitoring and Management Plan to ensure adverse effects on the kororā are avoided."
Auckland Council is still facing scrutiny following a social media post by Protect Pūtiki, a conservation group whose members are opposing the Kennedy Point marina being built.
Protect Pūtiki spokesperson Bianca Ranson has been observing kororā for the past 15 months at Pūtiki Bay and was worried they will not survive.
"These are one kilogram little penguins living in an active construction zone with heavy machinery and piles of concrete slabs that are being moved around and yet, they expect that a one-kilogram penguin that's breeding at the moment will withstand it," Ranson said.
RNZ
