Middle Island Maremma Project

Middle Island Maremma Project
Warrnambool Great Ocean Road
2015-16
Here is the problem!
Middle Island Warrnambool was once in deep water just off the mainland, but still protected
from the mainland by water that flowed between the island and mainland.
The building of the Warrnambool Breakwater and Viaduct Road in the late 1890’s started the
process of siltation of Lady Bay and surrounds. This process continues today and has resulted in
Middle Island now becoming exposed to foxes, or people, walking to the island on low tide
through summer.
Deakin University student, Rebecca Overeem, started surveying the Little Penguin colony in
1999 and in January 2000 the population was estimated to be 830 with 342 active burrows
counted. Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare Group were involved in penguin monitoring from
this time and the population numbers were found to be in steady decline because of constant
fox encroachment and people damaging penguin habitat. In September 2005 the Deakin survey
team found only 4 penguins and 52 active burrows.
What to do? Something had to change!
A member of the Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare Group (Dave Williams) was working with a
local chicken farmer (Swampy Marsh) whilst completing his degree at Deakin Warrnambool
campus. At a morning tea break one day Dave and Swampy were discussing the front page of
the local newspaper that had an image of over 300 birds killed on Middle Island by foxes.
Swampy quipped “they should put a couple of maremmas on that island – that would sort out
the foxes”.
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From that quip began a long effort to look at how this could be done – dogs on an island that
was home to a penguin breeding colony had never been done before, in fact they had never
been used to protect any native animals.
Approvals Needed
Middle Island is crown land and managed by Warrnambool City Council (WCC). Initial approvals
for the trail of maremmas on the island was required by WCC. Further approvals from Parks
Victoria, Department of Sustainability and Environment as well as animal ethics oversight by
RSCPA.
Ultimately WCC took the decision to approval the trail of Oddball (Swampy’s dog). This was a
brave decision that required a great leap of faith from Council staff, Coastcare volunteers and
the local community. One concern was how the dogs might interact with the penguins, but with
the numbers so low and the dogs being used to working with birds it was considered worth a
try. Another concern was the dogs would escape from the island and attack people. To test this,
a maremma was brought into the council meeting to hear the debate – the trail was approved
and Oddball was sent to Middle Island.
During the 2006-2007 penguin breeding season the trial began and a student from Deakin
(Kristy King) evaluated its success. The trial was shown to be successful as no foxes encroached
the island, the penguin population went up to 116 and the dogs appeared to have no negative
effect on the behaviours of the Little penguins.
The trail was turned into a full time project and continues to this day. Since the maremmas have
been placed on the island there has been no evidence of foxes getting onto the island and no
penguins have been killed by foxes.
There Have Been Challenges
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This is a world first use of maremma dogs to guard native fauna – there were no rule or guide
books to follow and there have been challenges along the way. Some of these challenges
included dogs leaving the island, dogs playing with penguins resulting in 10 being stressed and
dying, having the funding and resources to operate the project and people going to the island
unauthorised. It has been a case of learn as we go and today we have a Warrnambool Method
for helping to conserve wildlife.
During the project one thing has been consistent – the Warrnambool community has supported
the protection of the penguins and their special Middle Island.
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village Involvement
In 2013 Warrnambool City Council were considering their role in the management of the
maremma dogs. The dogs had been operated as a environmental expense and whilst effective in
its delivery of the service, the council were looking to broaden the role of the project to include
an education and tourism outcome.
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village (FHMV) operates as the city’s maritime museum and outdoor
heritage precinct overlooking Lady Bay. The dogs care was transferred to FHMV allowing the
project to continue and the Middle Island penguins to be protected by their maremma friends.
Education and Tours
A key element in the Middle Island project is to use the maremma dogs to gain the attention of
the community in the broader environmental issues of the city. Meet the Maremma sessions are
operated year round allowing locals and tourists the opportunity to learn about the Middle
Island project.
All proceeds from Meet the Maremma programs and associated merchandising goes towards
the care of the maremma dogs.
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Full details of the Middle Island Maremma Project can be found at
www.warrnamboolpenguins.com.au
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long have Little penguins populated the island? Why are they such an important part
of the island’s wildlife population?
The Little Penguin once breed in many places along the southern Australian coastline, and were
an important food source for the indigenous people, they were also eaten by the early
Europeans and American sealers and whalers in the early 1800’s. The early settlers introduced
large numbers of rats, dogs and cats that soon became predators of native species including the
little penguins.
Middle Island has a long history of human
disturbance. Early European settlers
established Warrnambool’s first fully
manned lighthouse station on the island
in 1855. The lighthouse keeper was a keen
naturalist and although his records
mention the presence of the shearwaters
on the island not mention has been found
of the little penguin.
The position of the lighthouse was not overly successful at preventing shipwrecks as the light
was not visible in big swells. Resupplying the island was also difficult during the winter months.
Thus, in 1871. the light along with all the associated buildings were moved to the current
location overlooking Lady Bay. The lighthouse and buildings are now central to the Flagstaff Hill
Maritime Village, which is also the off island home for the maremma dogs. The foundations of
the original lighthouse can still be seen in the middle of Middle Island, along with the remains of
a small supply barge that can be seen at low tide in the shallow waters on the northern edge of
the island.
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The first confirmed record of penguins in
Warrnambool was a report during the 1950’s in
the Standard newspaper, which intimated their
presence on Middle Island. More contemporary
appreciation of the Little Penguin colony was
highlighted when the Victorian Penguin Study
Group undertook banding of penguins on Middle
Island the 1970s, although earlier anecdotal
reports suggest the early 1950’s.
The island provides breeding habitat for a
number of bird species other than Little
Penguins, such as Short-tailed Shearwaters,
Black-face Cormorants and Sooty
Oystercatchers. Presumably the seabirds play a
role in increasing soil nutrient levels on the
island by feeding at sea during the day then defecating on the island at night.
2. Are there any distinctive habits or behaviours of the little penguins that children may find
interesting?
When Little Penguins are breeding on land, they live in burrows dug out of the sand, soil, in
crevices, in man-made structures or in vegetation. The spend a lot of time in their burrows
during the breeding season, trying to attract a mate, incubating eggs, guarding chicks and
feeding chicks. While they are in their burrows, populations of penguin fleas build up in the
burrows. Penguin fleas can be very numerous in burrows and can even give humans a nasty
itchy bite.
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Little penguins are great swimmers, being birds
they look like they are flying through the water,
as they come closer to land they ride the waves
in like a surfer and project themselves up onto
the land like a small torpedo, usually landing on
their feet. When they come up on to the land
they have a cute way of walking, they waddle
from side to side with their heads down
jumping over and up onto the rocks. The Little
penguins usually follow the same pathway to
their burrow each night. On Middle Island they
have created penguin ‘highways’ as by
following the same paths they have eroded the
soft sandstone into paths and channels.
3. How did the red fox come to the island, or
has it always been there?
Middle Island was once an offshore island completely surrounded by water. However,
construction of infrastructure, such as the breakwater and viaduct, modified the natural water
flow through the Warrnambool port and this has led to deposition of sand and silt between the
mainland and Middle Island. This build up of sand has gradually made it easier for people and
foxes to get to the island..
Since being bought into Victoria in 1855 to control rabbits the red fox has been responsible for
the decline in population numbers of many native animals. The fox can survive in many different
environments and preys on small mammals, birds, reptiles lizards and insects. Foxes were not
always found on Middle Island but with the low water levels between the island and the
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mainland they can now easily access the island by walking over at low tide. There has even been
a report of a fox swimming over at high tide.
Foxes are now widespread across Australia although it is essentially absent from Tasmania
(except for a few recent introductions), the top end, North Qld and the Kimberley regions. It is
considered a major threat to our native animals and is also a significant pest for farmers. Due to
their large numbers and there widespread distribution across the continent getting rid is not
thought to be possible.
4. When did the red fox first become a threat to the existence of the penguins on the island?
The first widely reported fox kill was in 1993, when the Penguin Study Group found 50 penguin
and shearwaters killed on the island. This incident was followed by kills in 1995, 1997, 1999 and
every single year thereafter until 2006.
The highest number of carcasses found after foxes had been on the island was 268 in 2004
although it is unknown if this was in one evening or over several days.
5. What was the lowest number of penguins documented and when?
The fewest penguins recorded was in the 2004-2005 breeding season when Deakin University
researcher Rebecca Overeem undertook an arrival count and recorded only 4 penguins
returning to the island.
6. What were some of the strategies considered and implemented to protect the penguins?
Did some fail?
In the late 1990’s a Management Plan was written to help protect the penguins from foxes, dogs
and people who were also accessing the island and trampling on the burrows. During the
1999/2000 breeding season Rebecca Overeem recorded that 33% of penguin chicks and 16% of
eggs had been lost by visitors to the island.
Warrnambool City Council implemented a number of fox control measures over the next few
years including regular trapping, baiting, den fumigation and shooting, however these were not
effective in preventing fox predation of the penguin colony. They also built a boardwalk in an
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attempt to stop people trampling on the burrows and although this reduced the number of
people walking on burrows it did not stop it.
Foxes are an ongoing management issue for the city. The area leading to the island has
extensive coastal vegetation and a popular park area with associated wetlands. These
form the ideal habitat for the fox to live and from here they explore a wide range of
places including residents back yards, the beaches and of course Middle Island.
When the decision was made to trial the maremma guardian dogs on the island as a tool
to protect the penguins a survey was put in The Standard newspaper asking the
community what they thought about also closing the island to visitors. There
overwhelming response was to close the island as they could see it would stop the
burrows being trampled. Since that time the island has been closed to visitors and
except for one or two people per season this has been a successful strategy.
7. Why the Maremma Guardian Dogs ? (They aren’t sheep dogs) What is special about this
breed?
Maremma Guardian Dogs were bred in
Italy and have been used to protect
agricultural stock from predators for
several hundred years. The dogs have a
natural instinct to bond with a particular
territory (including the animals that live
in it) and they will chase away anything
that is perceived as a threat or unusual to
the territory.
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8. When were the Maremma first considered as an option? What had to happen for this to
take place? When did the dogs first come to the rescue of the penguins?
The Maremma Project was initiated when a local free range poultry farmer Alan ‘Swampy’
Marsh suggested that the Warrnambool City Council use Maremma guardian dogs to guard the
penguins from foxes. (Mr Marsh has used maremma dogs to protect his poultry from attacks
from foxes and feral dogs for many years).
Warrnambool City Council are the land managers for this piece of the coastline and therefore
using the maremma dogs required their approval. Before this was provided a range of specialist
reports were provided from Parks Victoria, State Government Department of Environment,
RSPCA and Deakin University Animal Ethics Committee.
A trial of the technique commenced in 2006 supported by a project plan and agreed key success
factors. The first dog, Oddball, was taken out to the island on November 15th with the
volunteers who were counting how many penguins arrived. Two of the volunteers camped out
on the island to watch the interactions between the dog and the penguins. No negative
interactions between the birds and penguins were observed. While the dogs were reported to
have investigated the birds in the beginning they soon lost interest and the penguins did not
retreat from the dogs when they did approach.
This trial was deemed a success as the
number of penguins on the island
increased that season, no foxes visited
the island, there was strong public
support to stop visitors to the island and
there was little if any environmental
damage to the island as a result of the
trial. Since that time the Maremma
Guardian dogs have worked to protect
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our Middle Island Little Penguin colony.
9. How many dogs are currently on the island? What are their names and ages?
The program currently uses two dogs which live on the island for several days a week
during the penguin breeding season. Their names are Eudy and Tula and they are the 6 th
and 7th dogs to be used in the project.
10. How do they protect the penguins from the red fox? How do the dogs and penguins
interact?
Whilst originally the dogs were permitted to
roam all over the island as the program has
developed we have moved to only having
the dogs on the enclosed boardwalk area.
This provides us with some assurance they
will stay on duty, as well as protecting them
from unauthorised visits to the island from
people. This balance has allowed us to
maintain a fox free record since the dogs
have gone to the island and to have fewer
‘exploring escapes ‘ by the dogs.
The maremma dogs have a strong protective behaviour and will scare off any intruders on the
island by barking and, if a fox is close enough, they will chase it away. There is no evidence our
dogs have had to confront a fox on the island however if they did they do have the ability to kill
a fox.
The dog’s go to the island for several days at a time
before being returned to the mainland this is to
prevent them becoming bored on the island and to
rest them from the harsh conditions on the island.
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There are strict animal welfare protection protocols which are followed to make sure the dogs
are safe, happy and are not exploited in any cruel manner.
11. Do the dogs receive special training?
The dogs are bonded to the land that is their territory as early as possible. The general way we
do this is to take the new pups to the island with us through one summer to meet the existing
dogs. These young pups don’t stay on the island for their first summer but begin the bonding
process. Maremma’s can be nervous around water and while this initial fear of water helps keep
them on the island, this is quickly overcome and they generally walk to the island through the
water and sometimes waves (although they
don’t like waves much).
When training to protect chickens they are
slowly introduced to the birds under supervision.
Young maremmas are like most puppies in that
they want to play often. This playing can be a bit
rough for chickens so we introduce them by
placing them in a cage in the middle of the paddock first. After the initial curiosity of seeing
them through the cage we let them out to interact with the dogs. They quickly learn that these
are normal animals for their areas and will protect them.
Penguins are the same – really they are “Chooks in Dinner Suits”.
We slowly allow them to see the penguins and also see them arrive at dusk. The dogs learn this
is normal and quickly understand to protect the penguins. They do like chasing other birds and
love to scare away pigeons or catch them if they can. We have also found a dead rat they we
first saw on the island during a summer tour. The next day when I did the tour I found the dead
rat that appeared to have been “played with.”
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12. How are the dogs cared for while on the island? What do they eat? Where do they sleep?
During the off-season (which is what months?) where do the dogs go?
Like all parts of the project the care of the dogs is a partnership between many groups.
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village (www.flagstaffhill.com) have been tasked with caring for the dogs
since 2013. Our main ‘dog handler’ is Phil Root who is also the village gardener.
When on the island the dogs generally stay on the land side of the island as they generally feel
this is the location of most threats. There is a shelter on the southern side of the island but I
have not observed them sleeping in the shelter. On the north side of the island we place shade
cloth over the walkway in three places to allow the dogs some shade from the summer sun.
When off the island the dogs live at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. This includes their breaks
through the summer period, and the off island nonbreeding period which tends to be between September
and March but can vary depending on the penguin
colony behaviour.
This site has been part of the learning cycle of the
project as it places the dogs in an area that has visitors.
This public location is part of the further public
engagement that the project started in 2013 when the
dogs were placed in the care of Flagstaff Hill Maritime
Village (Warrnambool’s largest paid entry tourist
attraction)
We have been observing the dogs behaviours whilst in this area that overlooks the bay area.
Whilst they are active in barking at any gusts that walks to the edge of the fenced space they
have not been seen to be aggressive or stressed in the area.
To further give the dogs are break from people we have a farm north of Warrnambool that we
are allowed to take the dogs. This again shows the community support for the project as the use
of the farm is donated and they couple that live on the island feed and care for the dogs. This
further support allows us to cover Phils or my leave through the year.
13. How have the dogs allowed the penguins to repopulate? About how many penguins are
on the island now? How do volunteers/conservationists count them?
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Once every two weeks during the breeding season, a group of Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare
Group volunteers, with a volunteer co-ordinator, cross to the island just before dusk. The
volunteers are trained in how to look for
penguins and how not to disturb them as they
come onto land and head to their burrows. There
are a number of specific sites that volunteers
monitor to gain an estimate of the number of
penguins arriving on the island. Each group of
volunteers have a walkie talkie and when the first
penguin is sighted the count continues for one
hour from that time.
The penguins are monitored by visual sighting by the volunteers. When volunteers are at their
sites they must be quiet and not move around, as the penguins will spook and turn around if
they become frightened. If they become frightened they may not go back to their burrows that
night, so their chicks may not get feed.
The penguins come up onto the land just after nightfall, this is the time that they are most
vulnerable to attack in the ocean from seals and sharks which patrol just offshore looking for a
meal.
There have been no recorded instances of fox predation on the island since the dogs were
introduced in 2006. This has allowed the number of penguins on the island to increase over the
years. The peak penguin arrival count in the 2013-2014 breeding season provided an estimate of
approximately 100 penguins. Volunteers count the number of penguins arriving on the island
during the nightly penguin parade through the breeding season to gain an estimate of the total
number of penguins on the island.
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On daytime visits to the island, trained volunteers also check the penguins for micro-chips. If a,
bird does not have a micro-chip then one is inserted very carefully behind the head. By having
penguins micro-chipped, we can record their life history over many years:
 To see if they return to island or go to another colony
 To see if the breed successfully
 To record weight/health
 To gauge life length
This gives us an idea of how successful the colony is, sometimes we will find penguins that were
micro-chipped at other colonies, however penguins generally return to their birth colony.
14. How many volunteers have come together to save the penguins? What are the different
jobs they are responsible for? Does the group rely on donations to keep the project going?
What is the official name of the project?
The project is called the “Middle Island Maremma Project”
The project has several principle cost areas.
 Penguin Monitoring
Donations to the Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare Group help our volunteers to continue
monitoring the penguin colony. Volunteers count the number of penguins arriving on the island
during the nightly penguin parade. Some volunteers also undertake more detailed monitoring of
the health of the colony by recording, weighing and microchipping penguins. The project relies
on the efforts of about 200 volunteers. (Kristie King)
 Care of the Maremma Dogs
This area is the most cash intensive area of the project given that paid staff care for the dogs.
Dog care is a 365 day of the year effort although the summer breeding season is the most
intensive time given the daily trips to Middle Island. A yearly roster of the dogs location and staff
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allocated to the care of the dogs is kept by Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. Actual time on the
island is determined through liaising with the Penguin monitors.
 Infrastructure and Environmental Works
This can include costs of maintenance to the boardwalk, fencing and shelter for the dogs as well
as replacing rusting gate hinges and locks resulting from the harsh environment on the
islandalnd.
There are many people and organisations that contribute to the project.
Organisations include:
 Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare Group
(volunteer and cash support)
 Warrnambool City Council (cash and inkind support)
 Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village (cash and inkind support)
 Deakin University Warrnambool (cash and
in-kind support)
 Deakin University Animal Ethics Committee
 Local Businesses – in-kind product support
 Philip Island National Park (Penguin Colony)
 Middle Island Steering Committee
 Parks Victoria (the Government agency that owns Middle Island)
 Department of Environment and Primary Industry, Victoria. (the State Government
agency responsible for overseeing environmental works and native animal protection)
 Royal Society for the Protection of Animals (the peak animal care and protection
organization responsible for monitoring the humane and ethical treatment of animals)
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Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare Group (WCLG) has a Middle Island project co-ordinator
(Kristie King) who sits on the Middle Island Steering Committee and the board of WCLG.
WCLG contracts a Volunteer Co-ordinator each year to oversee the running of the breeding and
arrival counts (currently Lauren Kivisalu).
Data collected from the arrival and breeding counts are correlated
and sent to the Phillip Island penguin colony which is the peak
penguin conservation organization in Victoria
A core group of volunteers have had long term commitments to the
project and take leading roles at breeding and arrival counts of the
penguins (currently John Sutherland, Melanie Wells, Vince
Haberfield) and assist the Volunteer Co-ordinator when volunteers are on the island.
Funding for the project is required at various levels. The Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare
group has been successful gaining a number of grants focused on the environmental works of
the project. Grants are competitive and fluctuate depending upon government policies. Public
donations have also been consistent across the project.
Warrnambool City Council has borne the majority of the financial costs of the project. The
project is continually reviewed and again is subject to differing council priorities threatening the
annual funding of the project.
Public programs will increasingly be the main source of cash funding for the project. This
includes the Summer Tour program, yearly Meet the Maremma Schools and Groups programs as
well as merchandising the project. (Yes we also now have a Maremma costume that will
perform at public and private events for a fee going towards the projects costs)
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The making of the new Australian movie “Oddball” (due for release in 2015) provides a great
opportunity to maximise the merchandise funding for the project, but also creates a challenge
to balance this interest in the Island and Dogs without damaging the success of the penguin
recovery recorded to date.
15. What efforts are in place to protect the penguins going forward?
Whilst the Middle Island Maremma Project
Committee have developed an annual working plan
we have now established a Middle Island Maremma
Project Strategic Plan. This plan is seen as important
to establish a longer term framework for the future
of the project.
The release of the Oddball Movie has also created
the opportunity to benefit from the large amount of
interest in the project. The Strategic Plan will provide
Figure 1 - Kids preparing to cross to the island as part of
the summer Meet the Maremma’s Tours.
the opportunity to lock in funding partners across a longer term and an opportune time review
the core goals and success factors for the project.
WCLG has made a commitment for the continuation of the volunteer program to monitor the
health and growth of the penguin colony. WCLG’s Middle Island Penguin Monitoring Program
(MIPMP) has for the last few years contracted a Volunteer Co-ordinator to ensure that the
project moves forward into the future.
The Middle Island Maremma Project Strategic Plan will lock in Warrnambool City Council to the
core aims of the project to protect the Little Penguin colony of Middle Island.
The document will also be used to secure longer term funding from private businesses.
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As part of the plan a Tourism and Business Plan has been established to also manage the
expected opportunities and demands that Oddball the movie will create.
16. How can kids help?
 School Programs Developed and Operated
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village operate the public programs based on the project. New school
programs have been developed using the dogs as a key
focus of interest in the Middle Island story, but that also
embrace wider educational themes around sustainability
and the environment. This includes the on site visit to
Flagstaff Hill to meet the dogs along with walks around
Stingray Bay to observe the island using binoculars.
Students are encouraged to explore their own environment
and create projects about introduced pests, managing
wildlife and the local waste stream that may impact on their
enjoyment of their own habitat.
We are very keen for students to develop an interest in sustainability and the environment
through the excitement of meeting or experiencing our Maremma’s. These dogs have an
amazing ability to grab students attention as many children have a connection to their own
dogs. As conditions generally prevent us from taking kids to the island we will link the project
back to their own learning environments such as the classroom or home.
 Teacher Resources
A new range of teacher resources is being developed and loaded to the education section of
www.flagstaffhill.com This helps the teacher plan their visit and complete in class activities both
pre and post the site visit.
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 Remote Site Visit
Future projects are being planned that will allow students to complete online teleconference
style classes where they can visit Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village remotely
and do a class where they meet the maremmas and discuss the same
topics that a site visit would generate.
All fees charged for these programs go to the core costs of caring for the
dogs so that that they can perform their protection role.
Kids can encourage their teacher to use the project in their school
programs, visiting either remotely or on site.
They may even consider Adopting A Maremma that for a small cost can
pay for the feeding of Maremma for one week.
Contact Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village to gain more information or go to www.flagstaffhill.com
Project Supporters
This project is a unique partnership
between a passionate community
group, Warrnambool City Council and
the broader Warrnambool community.
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Whilst many projects start with initial passion, many begin to fall away as core volunteers tire of
the constant effort required to keep the project going.
This project could not have been in operation since 2006 without the passion and dedication of
many volunteers, Warrnambool City Council Councillors and Staff, sponsorship from the local
business community, and the wider Warrnambool community.
Current
 Deakin University Warrnambool
Scientific oversight and reporting, including in kind support through student support for
penguin monitoring.
 Petstock Warrnambool
Suppliers of food and grooming for the two working dogs.
 Lava Street Vet Clinic
Supplying vet care to the working dogs
 Webcams
Telstra
Former and Foundation Supporters
 Powercor, BHP Billiton, Phillip Island Penguin Foundation, Victorian Government
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