25 October 2024 - Frequent test streams from Antipodes Is
The team is currently working with Erect-crested penguins on the remote subantarctic Antipodes Islands. They have established a camera stream to observe the penguins in their study colony in Anchorage Bay. They will frequently broadcast this stream to test the camera setup planned for TawakiCam. Streams are often running in the late afternoon/evening (NZ time) and, if the team remains at the hut and sun provides enough power, any other time during the day. You can access the stream via
Frequent test streams from Antipodes Islands.
6 September 2024 - Major set back to overcome
Last weekend, a massive storm partially sunk the Southern Discoveries underwater observatory in Harrison Cove, Milford Sound. Besides this being a massive loss to the unique experience that is Piopiotahi, the underwater observatory also played a pivotal role for our TawakiCam plans. Here we planned to install a WiFi bridge that would transmit the camera signal from the rainforest in the fjord to the settlement. This represents another setback to our plans to get the camera operating in the next few months. We will have to go back to the drawing board and come up with a new solution to get TawakiCam up and running.
News coverage of the disaster
1 August 2024 - Still waiting for permits
Still no word about the permits from the Department of Conservation. While this is frustrating, we are not the only ones dealing with such delays. This unfortunately makes it unlikely that TawakiCam will launch as planned this month. The penguins will start to return to breed in the next few weeks which will effectively prevent us from doing an major work in the colony. However, we plan to establish an alternative, temporary live stream showing penguins on the subantarctic Antipdoes Islands in October.
15 Apr 2024 - Permit Variation in process
We do require a permit to establish TawakiCam. We therefore have applied to add it to our existing Wildlife Authority as the base idea behind the project is the submission of real-time research data in tandem with the video stream. How long this permit variation will take is unclear at this stage.
27 Feb 2024 - Grant application submitted
To engage the services of an IT company to help us establish the complex wireless bridge we do need to raise additional fund. We have applied for public funds via the Lotteries Grant scheme.
3 Dec 2023 - Test stream 2 from Antipodes Is
Another test stream under extreme conditions. We had the stream running during a westerly storm. We wanted to see if YouTube users could help us identify birds with data loggers as they returned. The stream was cut short when an extender on one of our data cables short circuited due to water ingress. A valuable lesson learned.
Watch an archive of the stream here
29 Nov 2023 - Test stream 1 from Antipodes Is
While working on the subantarctic Antipodes Islands, we set up a video stream system that transmitted a video signal from the nearest Erect-crested penguin colony to the research station. From here the stream was then broadcast to the internet via Starlink.
Watch an archive of the stream here
27 Sep 2023 - Test stream from Fiordland via Starlink
We tested the capability of a Starlink unit to keep a video stream up and running while we were doing field work in Dusky Sound. A rather boring stream without penguins but it provided us with some insights into potential Starlink caveats.
Watch an archive of the stream here
26 Aug 2023 - PledgeMe campaign successfull!
Woo-hoo! Our crowdfunding campaign for #TawakiCam was successful!! Heaps of thanks to all the pledgers that helped us get to campaign over the line!!!
