Penguin Island (Western Australia) facts for kids
Penguin Island and ferry
|
|
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Indian Ocean |
| Coordinates | Lua error in Module:Coordinates at line 614: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Administration | |
| State | Western Australia |
| LGA | City of Rockingham |
Penguin Island is a small island off the coast of Perth, Western Australia. It is about 660 metres (722 yd) from Shoalwater. The island is famous for being home to a group of little penguins. In 2024, about 120 little penguins lived there. Sadly, the number of penguins has dropped a lot since 2007, when there were about 1,600. This is a 92 percent decrease.
The ocean around the island is part of the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park. The island itself is also a protected area called the Penguin Island Conservation Park. This park was created in 1918 and covers about 11 hectares (27 acres). The island closes to visitors during winter, from June to September, to protect the wildlife.
Contents
Getting to Penguin Island
You can reach Penguin Island by taking a short ferry ride. The ferry leaves from Mersey Point and the trip takes only 5 minutes. You can also get to the island by private boat, kayaking, or even swimming. Some people try to walk across a 700-metre (766 yd) sandbar to the island. However, most of this sandbar is under water, and conditions can change quickly. Because of this, walking across the sandbar can be very dangerous. It is not recommended by the Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPAW).
The island is closed in winter, from June to September. This is because it's the breeding season for the penguins. There have been talks about making the closure even longer due to the big drop in penguin numbers. The island also closes when the temperature goes above 35 °C (95 °F). This is because high heat can make the penguins very sick.
Island Facilities
Penguin Island has areas for picnics with seats and water taps. There are also special toilets that don't use water.
It's important to know that there are no rubbish bins on the island. All visitors must take their own rubbish with them when they leave. This helps keep the island clean and safe for the animals. It also stops animals like rats from finding food. Rats can be harmful to the penguin population. In 2013, a program successfully removed rats that had started living on the island.
A special building called a discovery centre was built on the island in 1995. In 2021, there was a plan to build a new, bigger discovery centre. However, many people were worried about how building it would affect the declining penguin numbers. Because of these concerns, the plan to build a new centre on the island was stopped in 2022. The old discovery centre will also be taken down, and the area will be returned to its natural state.
Amazing Nature
While the little penguins are the main attraction, Penguin Island is home to many other birds. You can see many nesting and roosting seabirds, including a large group of about 500 pelicans.
The island has many different natural features. You can find tall cliffs, small sea caves, rocky headlands, sandy beaches, and coves. There are also cool natural bridges and flat rock areas made by waves.
Some important spots on Penguin Island include North Rock, Pelican Bluff, North Beach, McKenzies Well, South Beach, Abalone Point, and Surfers Beach.
There are many lookouts, boardwalks, and walking paths around most of the island. Some areas are fenced off. This is to protect the wildlife and stop the sand dunes from wearing away.
Penguin Island Walk Trail
The Penguin Island Walk Trail is a 1.5-kilometre (0.93 mi) path that goes all around the island. The trail starts near the Discovery Centre. Along the way, you'll find several lookout points. From these spots, you can watch the land animals and sea creatures.
Little Penguin Colony
In the past, during the 1800s and 1900s, the penguins on Penguin Island faced dangers. They were sometimes hurt by dogs or shot by holiday-makers. In 1946, a scientist named Vincent Serventy estimated there were about 500 pairs of penguins. People were worried about the penguins because of human visitors, occasional fires, and many rabbits. The rabbits ate too much of the island's plants, which caused the land to wear away. Rabbits were thought to have arrived in the 1920s, and by the late 1940s, there were thousands of them. By 1950, it became against the law to bring a dog to Penguin Island.
Penguins have lived on Penguin Island for a long time, since at least the 1890s. Australian sea lions also used to rest on the island around that time.
Today, it's rare to see wild little penguins during the day. This is because they spend most of their daylight hours in the ocean, hunting for fish. Visitors are only allowed on the island during specific daytime hours, from mid-September to early June.
The little penguins that breed on Penguin Island are a special group. Their numbers are going down. In 2007, there were between 1,600 and 2,000 penguins during breeding season. By 2011, this number dropped to about 1,000. By 2022, there were only about 250 penguins left. Scientists have seen penguins having to travel further to find food. This means their chicks don't get enough to eat and can starve. A lack of food and climate change are big problems for the penguins. A plan to build a marina nearby is also seen as a future threat.
Little penguins also breed on Garden Island, which is about 6.5 kilometres (4.0 mi) north. These two groups of penguins are considered one large population. In 2007, the total number of penguins in both groups was estimated to be 2,369.
Rescued Penguins
For many years, a small group of rescued penguins lived in a special area on the island. This area was part of the Discovery Centre. It was built in 1987 to help injured wild penguins. It was also home to about 10 penguins that were too hurt, orphaned, or born in captivity to survive in the wild. The enclosure was designed to look like the penguins' natural home, with sand, plants, and a saltwater pond. Visitors could watch the penguins swim through viewing panels. Park rangers fed the penguins three times a day. In September 2023, the last seven penguins living there were moved to Perth Zoo and Caversham Wildlife Park. The Discovery Centre's penguin enclosure was then closed permanently.
Images for kids
-
Penguin Island from the coast
-
Penguin Island from Western Australia
-
Little penguins
-
Pelicans on Penguin Island
-
Pelicans and cormorants
-
Pelican colony and caves
-
Neighbouring Seal Island
