Since 2006, Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare Group has employed the services of Maremma guard dogs in their efforts to save a colony of little blue penguins (Eudyptula minor) on Middle Island off the coast of Australia. The penguin colony had declined drastically from 600 birds in 2000 to less than 10 birds in 2005.
The Maremma dogs, brought in at the suggestion of a local chicken farmer, have turned things around. In 2011 the colony is estimated to have increased to about 180 penguins and is expected to continue to grow, given continued protection from predation by their guard dogs.
Population Status of the Little Blue or Fairy Penguin
Little blue penguins, the smallest of all penguin species, are found along the coasts of Australia and New Zealand in large numbers, but coastal development is reducing the available habitat for nesting colonies. And in areas like Middle Island where stray dogs and wild foxes can easily reach the colonies, predation is becoming a serious problem.
This nocturnal species, also variously called fairy penguin, little penguin and blue penguin, is not considered endangered or even vulnerable. Declines in population have not reached 30% in ten years or three generations, which is the IUCN criteria needed for listing. But the situation could change as fish population declines and ocean pollution, including oil spills and chronic oiling, add to the threats many penguin species are facing.
Maremma Guard Dogs Have Long History of Protecting Livestock in Italy
Maremma dogs come from the Maremma and Abruzzi regions of Italy where they have a more than 2000 year history of guarding livestock, particularly goats and sheep, from predators like wolves and bears. Today the Maremma guard dog is popular with llama and alpaca ranchers in many countries as well.
The dogs are raised with livestock and begin training at a very early age. While loyal to their owners, Maremma dogs, like many of the livestock guarding breeds, tend to be fairly independent and distrust strangers, and thus are not considered a good choice for a pet.
The Warrnambool Coastcare Maremma guard dogs spend many nights on Middle Island protecting the little blue penguins, particularly during nesting season when the chicks are left alone while the adult penguins travel offshore to forage.
Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare Group Does More Than Protect Penguins
The Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare Group has received the 2010 Australian Government’s National Landcare Award for its innovative method of protecting its local colony of fairy penguins, but the organization doesn’t stop there. It is also involved in other activities to restore and preserve the biodiversity of the area. Other projects include the Weed Warrior Program, which is working to remove invasive alien plant species from the South Warrnambool Wetlands, and a project to restore natural vegetation along the Merri River estuary.
And these other projects will indirectly help the little blue penguins of Middle Island, as the health of the estuary and wetlands affect the health of the waters around Middle Island just offshore. Combined with the presence of the Maremma guard dogs, whose scent alone is thought to help keep predators at bay, these efforts may help ensure that the fairy penguin colony continues to grow.
Dawn M. Smith - A vet nurse, Dawn has worked in wildlife rehabilitation and conservation around the world in addition to her veterinary hospital ...
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