Snipers to protect Sydney's penguins from fox attacks

Four little penguins walk towards the ocean in Sydney. Photograph: David Gray/Reuters

Snipers to protect Sydney's penguins from fox attacks

Night watch on endangered species in Australia after nine birds mauled to death

Fox attacks on endangered penguins have led Australia's wildlife authorities to post snipers at night to protect the birds.

A colony of about 120 little penguins (Eudyptula minor), also known as fairy penguins, at Quarantine beach in Sydney has recently lost about nine of its number to attacks. On Sunday night, the two snipers took their first watch but were unable to shoot the animals responsible.

"We've got infrared cameras as well to detect fox movements along with fox baiting … This is really a microcosm of the devastation foxes can wreak in some areas," the National Parks and Wildlife Service told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Autopsies on the dead penguins showed foxes or dogs were probably responsible because of the nature of the bite marks. DNA swabs were being analysed.

Angelika Treichler from local group Manly Environment Centre told the Herald the attacks were happening at dusk when the nocturnal penguins come ashore. She urged dog owners to keep their animals on leads.

Meanwhile, the snipers are there to stay. "We've had no luck so far finding what has done this so we'll keep on trying," the parks service said. "We'll be there for as long as necessary."

Source:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jul/13/penguins-foxes-attacks-snipers

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Maremma dog on patrol: the penguin population on the island has boomed (AAP: Warrnambool City Council, file photo)
Sheepdogs to guard island penguins

Posted Tue Jul 14, 2009 8:29am AEST



Maremma sheepdogs will continue to guard the Little Penguin population on Middle Island, off the coast of Warrnambool in Victoria's south-west.

The Warrnambool Council has voted to retain the two dogs on the island for the third consecutive year.

The council's environmental planner Ian Fitzgibbon says since the dogs were put on the island, there have been no known cases of foxes killing any seabirds this year.

And he says the penguin population on the island has boomed.

"Each year we learn something new, so having a 12-month commitment is probably just a good way of saying we're learning each time and there's always things we can improve on," he said.

He says the Little Penguin population has increased to about 80 adult birds and 32 chicks.

"I think it just really supports the benefits of using maremmas in agriculture and conservation management," he said.

"We've seen how our project has been successful, and we've had a lot of phone calls from around the world, people interested in using maremmas for other areas of predation protection."

Source:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/14/2624983.htm