Our Campaign
OUR CAMPAIGN
SAVE ROCKINGHAMS LITTLE PENGUINS
in early 2022, when Environment Minister Reece Whitby announced that a new $3.3m Penguin Discovery Centre would be built on Penguin Island.
This construction would have been disastrous for the diminishing wild population of little penguins, and other wildlife, so we fought that decision with the community behind us, backed by scientific evidence and advice.
Around seven months later, the Minister announced that the plans had been scrapped, hot weather closures for the island would be implemented, monies were allocated for research, and importantly, investigations into a mainland Penguin Discovery Centre would begin.
Unfortunately, 1.5 years later, it seems that the little penguin population is continuing to decline, there is still no plan to help them recover and we are still no closer to a mainland Penguin Discovery Centre.
The Cook Government’s interventions so far have been patch-up jobs to appease the community. Clearly, they are not good enough.
So our campaign is back! We believe this wild population can recover with the right science-backed interventions, and proper conservation-led management.
We also believe a mainland Penguin Discovery Centre would be a tourism boon for Rockingham, while giving the wild population of little penguins some breathing space.
What would Penguin Island be without it’s penguins?
WHAT'S THE ISSUE?
According to research done by Murdoch University on the Penguin Island colony, the latest Population Estimate study has shown an estimated decline of 80% of overall population size since the initial baseline study was undertaken in 2007.
In the 2 years from 2017 to 2019 the Penguin population halved in size. As of 2019, there were only 319 penguins left on Penguin Island – an 80% decline since 2007. The latest official report (May 2024) shows the Penguin count for 2023 at a staggering all time low of 114 penguins.
Scientists are concerned the population has further declined since 2019. While the most recent data is not yet available, anecdotally we know that the 2023/24 breeding season has been concerningly low, with few penguins observed breeding.
At the current rate of decline the Penguin Island colony is at risk of local extinction.
Penguins habitat is between 1 – 2 metres below the water surface.
According to Murdoch University researchers, key factors influencing the decline in Rockingham’s Little Penguin population are:
- Climate change and marine heatwaves impacting food availability and habitat quality.
- Overheating, with Penguins dying from hyperthermia.
- Watercraft injury with up to 25% of mortalities for the period between 2007 and 2019 attributed to collisions with watercraft.
- Penguin Island visitor rates and public access to habitat areas resulting in an increased disturbance to nesting and moulting penguins.
- Continuous development of coastal environments
Other crucial factors include there being no cap on visitor numbers to Penguin Island, apart from on days where the temperature exceeds 35 degrees Celsius. Uncapped visitor numbers mean that in the peak season (which coincides with moulting season), a boatload may arrive every 20 mins, meaning over 1,000 people per day not to mention people who walk, swim, kayak, or take their own boat.
Additionally, there is no effective policing of the 8-knot speed limit in Penguin foraging areas. Residents living opposite Shoalwater Bay who observe boating/jet ski activities daily consistently report that the only boat that seems to follow the 8-knot speed limit is the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions (DBCA) ranger boat. The DBCA is the responsible WA Government authority charged with overseeing the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park (and Penguin Island).
However, there is currently no up-to-date management plan or any other effective measures in place to help address this rapid and accelerating decline in Little Penguin numbers.
The state government’s own management plan for the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park is 7 years out of date and the management plan for Penguin Island is worse and is 22 years out of date!
This is despite the relevant authorities receiving regular reports every year over the last ten-plus years showing the decline of the Penguin Island colony. They have failed to act with the urgency required to Save Rockingham’s Little Penguins. It’s as though they have given up on the colony and don’t believe recovery is possible.
We need less complacency and more care for our penguins.
Although our government seems to have given up on this population, we are not giving up on our penguins that’s why we continue to fight hard for the new Penguin Discovery Centre to be built on the mainland that houses penguins to continue to educate visitors. We want to see the government commit to fully fund this centre in the 2024 budget.
It’s time our elected officials came up with a robust, long-term plan for Penguin Island and its wildlife which is informed by science and community consultation that delivers genuine sanctuary and conservation.
TOURISM IMPACT
Research indicates that visitor pressure may be negatively impacting the colony with reduced breeding density and success observed in areas with high visitation.
This has also been observed in other colonies around Australia and New Zealand. Studies from other little penguin colonies have shown that nest density increases with reduced disturbance from visitors. Penguins actively avoid areas of high disturbance. Even captive little penguins in zoos show avoidance behaviours and fear of humans.
Penguins actively avoid areas of disturbance.
SOLUTIONS
We believe there are solutions to help save the penguin population on Penguin Island:
- Build a Penguin Discovery Centre on the mainland to decrease human disturbance to the colony,
- Work with scientists and the community to develop a fully funded, robust, long-term recovery plan for Penguin Island and its wildlife,
- Update management plans for the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park and the Penguin Island management plan to align with this recovery plan,
- Manage and enforce speed limits in the marine park, and
- Close the island to tourists for at least two years to allow the penguins to recover with a minimum of disturbance.
We’re planning for the future
Our Little Penguins need PEOPLE POWER. We need you to speak up on their behalf.
© Copyright 2022 Dawn Jecks. Website by Wildflower Digital