On small south-coast Australian island, called Middle Island, a plan has been in action for 4 years to help protect a colony of little blue penguins.
Photo by M Kuhn on flickr
Maremma sheepdogs are guarding our favorite little penguins as a way to ward off foxes and wild dogs. The plan appears to be working, the island has seen it’s best count of penguins since 2006!
Photo by ekpatterson on flickr
According to an article from Earth Times, “Until a couple of Maremmas, a breed of sheepdog from Italy, were recruited to guard the fairy penguins on Middle Island four years ago, conservationists had despaired of saving the colony. Numbers had fallen from 5,000 to just 100.”