Shining a light on little penguins

The Times News

BY ANTHONY CAGGIANO

24 Aug, 2011

 

GRANITE ISLAND - Little penguin numbers are barely scraping three digits, with their population dropping by 30 per cent on the same time last year.A total of 102 little penguins were counted in this year's annual census, compared to 146 at the same time last year. More than 1500 little penguins were recorded in 2001.
Penguin conservationist and researcher Natalie Gilbert said the result was expected to be down on last year, based on results from other surveys on the island and observations from the penguin tour guides.
She said it is hoped the penguin population will stabilise, but there is a possibility that the penguin colony on Granite Island may become extinct.

The exact reasons for their decline is still unclear, however it is thought some contributing factors may include New Zealand fur seals, habitat destruction, feral rats and cats on the island and climate change.
Penguin ecologist Annelise Wiebkin called for the birds to be listed as vulnerable in a report, tabled in June, because of the rate at which they had declined across the Fleurieu Peninsula, Kangaroo Island and Gulf St Vincent.
On a positive note, Ms Gilbert said the results showed pockets of active penguin burrows had strong numbers.
"The highest number of penguins co-exist in the areas with the highest density of tourists," she said.
"This is great to see that tourism is not impacting on the wild penguin numbers, and that tourism is being managed responsibly.

"Structures such as the boardwalks and viewing platforms overlooking penguin habitat are great protection from visitors for the penguins, and a pat on the back to the island's visitors.
"It is a measure of success that the tourist behaviour is very responsible as the penguins are successful in this location."
Ms Gilbert said tourists are not likely to be the reason for the birds' decline, as penguin numbers are dropping in areas where there is no tourism or little human activity, for example West Island, where the birds are "extremely close" to extinction.
The public's response to volunteer their time to help count the penguins on Granite Island had been really positive, with 85 volunteers on Monday, August 22, the second day of counting.
It was double the typical amount of volunteers, with 60 volunteers on Monday, August 15, the first day of counting also being a good number.

Among the volunteers in this year's count were students from Flinders University and the University of Adelaide, people who had taken little penguin tours, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Natural Resources Management staff and several metropolitan schools.
Ms Gilbert would like to thank the Granite Island Bistro and staff for providing hot soup and coffee to all the volunteers in this year's count.

Work and research in to the penguins is continuing with penguin ecologist Annelise Wiebkin and Ms Gilbert, together with several volunteers from schools, government departments and volunteer groups.
Activities include micro chipping, seal and rodent monitoring, 24-hour portable sensor cameras capturing activity around burrows, penguin mortality registers, penguin pathology and habitat and homesite constructions.

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