In 2007 a West Australian colony of Little Penguins, located near Rockingham, had a breeding population of 1600. In 2011 that same colony had been reduced to 1000. Human activity was cited for the population decline.

Now in 2025 the population has declined to an estimated 114 Little Penguins on their island habitat. Climate change and human activity have been cited for the decimated numbers. Continued human presence on the island will only increase stresses for the remaining penguin population and risk an introduction of ferals and pestilence.

Today a tourism operator is lobbying for money to be spent on a new facility to protect a business he claims "is losing $1 000 000 a year". The Little Penguin colony is already ‘living in the shadow of extinction’, increased human activity will impact the birds ability to outlive climate change. That is not sustainable tourism, that is exploitation. Without the myriad of local iconic flora and fauna there will be no draw-cards for tourism. What will be the provender for tourism once the local wildlife has been depleted?

Conservationists are calling for a recovery period without human interaction. Australia, nature is our life-support and it needs a united front to protect what little of our wildlife still remains.

@ReeceWhitby  @tanya_plibersek @DavidPocock  @zalisteggall  #LittlePenguin #PenguinIsland #extinction #Australia #auspol #wapol