Penguin population plummets — sheepdogs to the rescue

Last Saturday, like I do on most Saturday's, I scanned the "Earthweek" feature that shares space with the San Francisco Chronicle's weather page. On the world map, my eye caught a graphic of a penguin placed on the southern coast of Australia. Intrigued, I read that wildlife officials have decided to employ sheepdogs in their effort to protect the wee Fairy penguins from extinction.


(Aww, aren't they the cutest?)


Australia's Herald Sun says that, from November 13 to December 8, officials will "hire" one Maremma sheepdog to test out their pilot project.

"This is innovation born of desperation," wildlife officer Craig Whiteford of Victoria's Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), told the Australian Associated Press.

If we didn't do anything they wouldn't last this season."

How is this topic Ethicurean related?

Well, it's a bit of a stretch, maybe, but the article also goes on to say that sheepdogs are often used in Australia to protect free-range chickens from similar fates. (Of course, the likelihood of chickens going extinct is very unlikely since they're so tasty ... and not so cute.) And, as an Ethicurean, I see the dying out of species as indicative of how our planet is mirroring the "monoculturalization" of our food and culture. It's all connected because it's all so interdependent. Diversity of species and within species is so important to the health of our planet as a whole.


nz_hillside.jpgThinking of penguins, I'm reminded of my trip to New Zealand four years ago, about this time of year, when my friends in Dunedin led us on a "free penguin tour" (unlike those chartered by other touristas). We shimmied down a steep, sandy hillside (at left) to walk across this Pacific Ocean-facing beach. Finally, we climbed up another steep hillside, where a "hide" was located, to watch—without disturbing—the Yellow-eyed penguins on their nightly ritual of return from the sea.


nz_penguin.jpgAfter waiting for quite some time, we saw this begin to happen. Soon several penguins were waddling up the grassy hillside ... looking for a spot to get some much needed sleep. (At right: alas, this is the best picture I could get; they seemed to be constantly moving or hidden from view.)

In doing my research for this post, I learned:

  • At the time, these penguins were most likely fighting disease within their community, a disease that was later linked to "an infection of corynebacterium, a family of bacteria that causes diphtheria in humans." About 60% of all Yellow-eyed penguin chicks born that spring died. This family of bacteria, however, was ultimately deemed the secondary pathogen—the primary pathogen remains unknown.
  • And, on a bit of an ironic note, I discovered that scientists (who study Magellanic penguins) have nicknamed penguins the "sheepdogs of the sea"—for their keen ability in herding schools of fish into tight "balls." When the ball of fish becomes too tight, some escape and are more easily picked off and eaten.

I can't end this piece without advocating: if you haven't seen it already (and you probably have), rent March of the Penguins—a delightful film that follows a year in the life of Emperor penguins—to get a well-rounded, well-told penguin fix.

6 Responsesto “Penguin population plummets — sheepdogs to the rescue”

  1. DairyQueen says:


    People are still knitting them, although they're now more for fund-raising purposes.

  2. Corn Maven says:

    Double aww, DQ!

  3. Emily says:


    This is a very specific question, but here goes: I'm a journalist who recently relocated to Melbourne, Australia. I'm trying to do some research into the fairy penguin population that allegedly lives by the St Kilda pier, but I haven't been able to turn up any substantial info. If anybody knows what the deal is with these penguins, would you email me at EmilyStone200[at] Thanks!

  4. Corn Maven says:

    Hi Emily,


    To quote this page:




    Not sure when this was first posted to the web, but it's obviously off on the number of them at St. Kilda.


    Thanks for writing!

  5. zoe says:


  6. Corn Maven says:
