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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 192 asked in the Legislative Council on 17 March 2022 by Hon Dr Brad Pettitt

Parliament: 41 Session: 1

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.