Famous Maremma guardian dog penguin project under threat
Warrnambool's Maremma guardian dogs, as seen in the movie Oddball, have not stayed a night on Middle Island for two years.
For 20 years, a colony of little penguins on Middle Island, off the coast of Warrnambool, Victoria, has been protected from fox attacks by a team of Maremma sheep dogs. The world-first project, known colloquially as "The Warrnambool Method," was introduced in 2006 after foxes nearly drove the penguins to extinction. The dogs were trained to live on the island for weeks during the breeding season, keeping the foxes at bay. Over the years, the colony has grown from fewer than 10 penguins in 2016 to 200.
However, recent years have seen a decline in the project's effectiveness due to safety concerns caused by erosion and deep waters surrounding the island. Volunteer-run, the project has been scaled back, with the last dog staying on the island for two consecutive years. Dave Williams, who initiated the project, expressed concern that the colony is now more vulnerable to extinction, but acknowledged that it has become too dangerous for volunteers and dogs to reach the island.
The council is considering upgrading the project, but the dogs cannot be trained elsewhere as they must be on the island to work effectively.
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