The first stage of replacing the Paekākāriki seawall with a like-for-like wall starts this week, with site preparation and traffic management being put in place.
Another part of the prep was ensuring the site was clear of wildlife, including lizards and penguins. Last week Miro, a penguin detection dog checked for little blue penguins (kororā).
Working with his handler Jo, Miro is trained to sniff out burrows, indicate on a bird, and not touch. If he finds a bird, he sits and stays. No penguins were found at the site, so the seawall replacement is now underway.