PENGUIN COLONIES — PENGUIN ISLAND
192. Hon Dr BRAD PETTITT to the minister representing the
Minister for Environment:
(1) Has the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation
and Attractions received any requests since 1 July 2021 to provide
emergency feeding for the fewer than 300 little penguins that inhabit Penguin
Island?
(2) If yes to
(1), how many requests —
(a) were received and when;
(b) were then responded to by DBCA
and in what time frame;
(c) were refused and why; and
(d) resulted in
DBCA providing emergency feeding or similar measures to prevent further decline
in the number of little penguins living in the wild on Penguin Island?
(3) Will the minister table the basis for the claim
that the construction and operation of the proposed $3.3 million Penguin
Island Discovery Centre will contribute to increased little penguin numbers
rather than result in further population decline?
Hon
SAMANTHA ROWE replied:
I
thank the member for some notice of the question. I provide the following
answer on behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Environment. The
member has asked a detailed question and the answer is quite lengthy.
(1)–(2) Yes.
One formal request was received by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation
and Attractions on 31 December 2021 to remove 17 penguin chicks from Penguin
Island. DBCA was monitoring these 17 individuals on a weekly basis during that
time, and it was considered most appropriate for those chicks to remain in situ in their natural habitat.
DBCA responded to this request on 31 December 2021, with a more
comprehensive response on 10 January 2022. In addition, the approach of
removing penguin chicks and hand raising them at an appropriate facility was
suggested to DBCA in October 2021 and in January 2022. DBCA has confirmed that
16 out of the 17 penguin chicks that were being monitored on Penguin Island
during December 2021 had all left their nests by early January 2022. One
penguin chick was confirmed dead by DBCA in early January 2022.
Removing abandoned chicks from nest
boxes and natural nests or feeding in situ is an option that DBCA will consider
ahead of the 2022 breeding season to ensure the most appropriate, ethical and
practical intervention is implemented, with a clear plan for how this will be
monitored for success. Removal of penguin chicks from their natural environment
is considered an option of last resort.
(3) Local
research has identified that one of the main reasons for the decline in the
little penguin population has been warmer seawater temperatures reducing the
availability of food sources such as whitebait.
Every effort is being made to
minimise the disturbance to penguins and penguin habitat during the
redevelopment of the centre, which is at the end of its life. The design and
location of the new centre is being undertaken in a manner that is sensitive to
the resident penguin population. The positioning of the proposed new Penguin
Island Discovery Centre will be on the existing lawn area at Penguin Island to
avoid nesting areas. There will be an additional 514 square metres of habitat
for penguins and nesting seabirds, through the removal of the existing centre
and rehabilitation of this area with native vegetation. DBCA is working with
local researchers to discuss additional management options that can be
considered for implementation on the island
to further minimise impacts to the island's penguin population. In
addition, DBCA is commencing research to provide a holistic
understanding of little penguin status in Perth waters. This research will
focus on the penguin population within Perth metropolitan waters, including an
assessment of colony size at both Penguin Island and Garden Island, and the
connectivity among colonies, and identifying locations important for penguin foraging
and resting. This research will be undertaken in partnership with external
researchers.
The PRESIDENT: That was
indeed a long answer to a very long question, I just remind members.