Tourists are being asked to avoid endangered penguins on a popular tourist island to prevent their numbers falling further.
The resident ‘little penguins’ of South Australia’s Granite Island are under serious threat, with their numbers declining by a staggering 98 per cent in recent years as almost a million tourists flock to the destination each year.
Granite Island is located off the coast of Victor Harbor in South Australia, approximately 80 km south of Adelaide.
Twenty years ago, Granite Island was home to 1,600 little penguins, the smallest penguin species in the world by physical size.
But the number has tragically plummeted to just 30 adults in 2024.
Researchers from Flinders University carried out research into parent-child relationships among the island’s penguin population.
The alarming results showed that fewer interactions with humans are essential for the survival of these fragile creatures.
Dr Diane Colombelli-Negrel, Senior Lecturer in Animal Behavior at Flinders University’s School of Science and Engineering, warned tourists to keep their distance.
The little penguins residing on Granite Island in southern Australia are severely threatened: their numbers have declined by a staggering 98 percent in recent years.
Dr. Diane Colombelli-Négrel used remote red-light video surveillance to capture never-before-seen penguin interactions
“Please ensure you keep your distance when approaching penguin nesting areas to help minimize stress during these difficult times,” he said. YahooNews.
Dr. Colombelli-Négrel used remote red-light video surveillance to capture never-before-seen penguin interactions.
He said little penguins can be “bolder and more aggressive, in response to nest defense and intrusion” by people.
He said that although “we found that a penguin’s boldness does not influence its performance as a parent,” the flight response can stress the animals.
Granite Island is visited by 800,000 tourists each year and Dr Colombelli-Négrel asked tourists to avoid any contact with the little penguins.
“As the summer holidays approach, we urge the public to stay away from Granite Island penguin nests and help save these animals by reporting dangers to their habitat,” said Dr. Colombelli-Négrel.
“Urban developments and human activities are encroaching on our natural habitats at an increasing rate, placing many species under stress due to anthropogenic (human) disturbances.”
Locals said the drop in penguin numbers is also affecting tourism, as they were once a major attraction for visitors to Granite Island.
Granite Island is located off the coast of Victor Harbor in South Australia, approximately 80 km south of Adelaide. 800,000 tourists visit the island every year
“Our results…highlight the importance of limiting interactions between human visitors and penguins.”
Several other factors are contributing to the decline of little penguins on Granite Island.
A major problem is predation by introduced species such as foxes and black rats.
Competition for food with other marine predators, such as fur seals, makes the survival of little penguins even more difficult.
Another factor is environmental changes, such as rising sea surface temperatures and reduced river flows during droughts.
Locals said the drop in penguin numbers is also affecting tourism, as they were once a major attraction for visitors to Granite Island.
Conservation efforts are underway in an attempt to stabilize and increase the number of little penguins.
These include improved monitoring, nighttime island closures, and predator control programs.