Australia protecting penguins with snipers

Australia’s National Parks and Wildlife Service, troubled by recent fox attacks on little penguins, have taken protecting the endangered species to the next level: Fox attacks on endangered penguins have led Australia’s wildlife authorities to post snipers at night to protect the birds. A colony of about 120 little penguins (Eudyptula minor), also known as ...

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583642_090714_penguins5.jpg
One of two adult Little Penguins is returned to the sea following a period of care at Taronga Zoo's Wildlife Hospital, at North Curl Curl Surf Life Saving Club on March 20, 2009 in Sydney, Australia. The pair were found at different NSW beaches by members of the public, one on Christmas Day at Terrigal and the other 2 months later at Cronulla.

Australia’s National Parks and Wildlife Service, troubled by recent fox attacks on little penguins, have taken protecting the endangered species to the next level:

Fox attacks on endangered penguins have led Australia’s wildlife authorities to post snipers at night to protect the birds.

A colony of about 120 little penguins (Eudyptula minor), also known as fairy penguins, at Quarantine beach in Sydney has recently lost about nine of its number to attacks. On Sunday night, the two snipers took their first watch but were unable to shoot the animals responsible[…]

Meanwhile, the snipers are there to stay. “We’ve had no luck so far finding what has done this so we’ll keep on trying,” the parks service said. “We’ll be there for as long as necessary.”

No word yet on whether the Parks Service will be deploying a special cat sniper squad.

Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

James Downie is an editorial researcher at FP.

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