Sheepdogs Used to Guard Troubled Penguin Colony
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California 
on 01. 6.09
Photo via marcmc
Sheepdogs have helped to guard a colony of fairy penguins, and proven themselves to be very good at their job. So good, in fact, that conservationists are pondering what other threatened animals these K9s can protect.
A colony of fairy penguins on Warrnambool’s Middle Island off the south coast of Australia has dwindled dramatically due to attacks by foxes and wild dogs. However, their numbers are rising again thanks to their new bodyguards - two Maremmas, an Italian breed of sheepdog that bonds with the flock or herd of animals it is protecting.
'We're now starting to see some great results,' said Middle Island Maremma Project manager Ian Fitzgibbons. 'We've had our best penguin count since we began in 2006 with over 80 birds counted in one night and I think we have about 26 chicks on the island too.'
Using the dogs to protect this penguin colony was just an experiment, but it's proven to be a successful one. Now, researchers of various other threatened animals can scratch their heads and ponder if a couple of Maremmas might just help our their own efforts.
via Earth Times
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Sounds Like a wonderful Idea.
I love this story. The Herd Guard Dogs, not sheepdogs, that is a different job, are fascinating to watch.
I've lived with a Great Pyrenees and they are so serious on the job like the Maremmas. They will take care of any type of animal they are bonded with, so cool.
This picture looks to me to be a Great Pyrenees,I have two of them,great protectors,The Maremma,have speckles on the snoot and are prominate.Basically though their jobs are the same. and they are strong.
Messen with the penguins is like opening up a can of whoopass!
I would like to hear what the penguins think of the dogs.
Doesn't matter what guardian breed they are if they work, although this one does look like a Maremma. Livestock guardian dogs (LGD) have been bred to do work such as this, and learn that the penguins are what they are supposed to guard.
Be sure not to confuse LGDs with herding dogs because the instinct is completely different. LGDs have low prey drive (which is why they are effective) while herding dogs such as Border Collies have a very strong prey drive that is controlled with careful training.
Yes it does look a bit like a Pyr but I live with both 1 Pyr and 4 Maremma and it is a Maremma. Ear set is wrong for a Pyr. However I don't think it is one of the actual dogs on the Island.
https://www.coast2coast.org.au/PresentationPDFs/Amor.pdf
By the way normal name is Livestock guardian dogs or LGD
http://www.lgd.org/library.htm
Have a look at the different varieties at top of page.
The Maremas at Warrnambool are fabulous. I have witnessed them in action, running along the skyline of the island.
The dog pictured is obviously just an example of the breed. The island at Warrnambool is only small, probably less than 5 acres.
The locals love their dogs, and are very happy to take you to see them, and they can be photograped from the roadway adjacent to the island.
They are fed and checked twice a day by a ranger, who wades out at low tide across the sand bar.
There are tales of the dogs running 10km inland tracking down and killing a fox that had been hunting penguins on the island.
The penguin colony is thriving again.
(PS Foxes are an introduced species to Australia and have caused untold damage to our native fauna)
Won't the foxes and wild dogs starve then?
What about Guard Llamas for the Job?
They are already known to protect Australian sheep against foxes.
http://www.llama.org/guard_llamas.htm
That is DEFINITELY a great pyrenees, which is perfect. They were originally developed to fight off wolves (another dog would be used to herd the sheep). They have a LOT of loose skin at the throat, which thwarts the attemps of wolves to hurt them.
thats really awesome