Troubled Australian Fairy Penguins Protected By Friendly Sheepdogs

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 conversationalists 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.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[LALC]

Amazing isn't it!

[ivoteforsmartpeople]

Too bad we can't get some of them to protect the Whales from the Japanese!!!

[coyote4]

Penguins are friends, not food.

[mapleaforever]

Old news story but a good one.

[LHoney]

Wow - what a wonderful story! This is the most BEAUTIFUL dog I've ever seen!

[OneVoiceInACrowd]

+3 Woof!

[redhot200822]

Shepherds are the only real dogs.

[RODERICK098]

Dogs have to be God's most perfect creation.

[coyote4]

gods have to be Dog's most perfect creation.

[Vige]

This is such a great story.

[JulieSA]

Is there anything dogs can't do? This is wonderful.

[Chaucea]

Wow, that is so cool!!

(Now what we really need are sheepdog to protect the rest of the planet against the humans!!)

[JulieSA]

Humans developed this behavior in these dogs through selective breeding.

[Chaucea]

Right. Now for the dogs to do the right thing! ;-)