What do the fairy penguins in Sydney need to be protected from?
Four fairy penguins have been fatally mauled by a dog on Sydney’s northern beaches, devastating local volunteers who work to protect them. Manly Environment Centre volunteer Angelika Treichler said the endangered penguins were found with smashed skulls on a private beach in Manly on Friday. “We haven’t got the autopsy results yet, but it looks like they were mauled … by one dog,” Ms Treichler told AAP. “We’ve had one dog mauling eight all at once a few years back on the same little private beach.” She said dogs were banned from the area, which is home to the only mainland colony of the penguins in NSW. Volunteers work vigilantly to protect the 65 breeding pairs in the area, she said. “We’re all working every night … at Manly Wharf protecting the penguins. “It’s heartbreaking when you look after the penguins. “I’ve been looking after them for five years now and every little penguin counts and four in one go, I still can’t believe it.” Sources:
Sheepdogs have helped to guard a colony of fairy penguins, and proven themselves to be very good at their job. So good, in fact, that conservationists are pondering what other threatened animals these K9s can protect. A colony of fairy penguins on Warrnambool’s Middle Island off the south coast of Australia has dwindled dramatically due to attacks by foxes and wild dogs. However, their numbers are rising again thanks to their new bodyguards – two Maremmas, an Italian breed of sheepdog that bonds with the flock or herd of animals it is protecting. ‘We’re now starting to see some great results,’ said Middle Island Maremma Project manager Ian Fitzgibbons. ‘We’ve had our best penguin count since we began in 2006 with over 80 birds counted in one night and I think we have about 26 chicks on the island too.’ Using the dogs to protect this penguin colony was just an experiment, but it’s proven to be a successful one. Now, researchers of various other threatened animals can scratch their heads
The “little penguin” is the smallest known species of penguin on our planet. Fully grown, this penguin only stands about 16″ tall, making an adult smaller than a 2 liter bottle of soda. Their tiny size and unique blue plumage has led Australians and New Zealanders to refer to them as “Fairy Penguins.” These tiny seabirds are in big trouble, as a threatened population has been attacked repeatedly under the cover of night, leaving no evidence save a tiny, mutilated corpse on the sand. Initial autopsies on the dead penguins showed markings that would be consistent with an attack from foxes or dogs. According to the Sydney Parks and Wildlife Service, “foxes are little known nuisance animal, and this is really a microcosm of the devastation foxes can wreak in some areas.” Wild dogs, strays, and domesticated animals allowed to roam untethered are still suspect in the penguin killings. Sources:
