Dire Warning Over Aussie Tourist Hotspot for Little Penguins
A serious alert has been issued for tourists visiting Granite Island as the little penguin population faces a drastic decline
Granite Island, South Australia, Little Penguins, Adelaide, Flinders University
Adelaide: Tourists are being told to steer clear of the little penguins on Granite Island. The colony has dropped by a staggering 98 percent, and it’s a big deal.
Researchers from Flinders University found that just 30 adult little penguins are left on the island, down from about 1,600 two decades ago. That’s a huge decline!
Granite Island sees around 800,000 visitors each year, and it turns out that human interactions are messing with the penguins’ behavior. They’ve noticed that the little guys can get bolder and even aggressive when people are around.
With the summer holidays coming up, experts are urging everyone to keep their distance from the penguin nests. They want to protect these vulnerable birds and ask people to report any threats to their habitat.
Little penguins are the smallest penguin species, usually growing to about 35 cm tall and weighing around 1.2 kg. They’re found in coastal waters in Tasmania and southern Australia.
But it’s not just humans causing trouble. Off-leash dogs, bikes, and even people shining torches at night can disturb the penguins. Plus, they face threats from predators like fur seals and foxes, along with changing environmental conditions.
Ms. Colombelli-Négrel, a senior lecturer at Flinders University, emphasized the need to keep an eye on these little guys. They’re committed to studying how human activities impact the penguins and hope to help their numbers bounce back.