The death of 58 penguins has been described as a “massacre” by one of the state’s leading bird experts.
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The Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment has called for public assistance, after the penguins were found dead at the Low Head Conservation Area on Monday.
The carcasses were reported to DPIPWE rangers by a member of the public and were later taken to Mt Pleasant Laboratories for a post-mortem examination.
Parks and Wildlife Service state coordinator compliance officer Michael Spaulding said pathologists were of the opinion that most birds appeared to have died as the result of a dog attack.
A DPIPWE spokeswoman said the majority of penguins were found on the eastern side of the conservation area and further south into private land towards East Beach.
Some penguins were also discovered in the Low Head lighthouse precinct.
BirdLife Tasmania convener Dr Eric Woehler said it could take penguin colonies in that area up to a decade to recover from the attack.
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“It is shocking and a sad state of affairs for this to be the second case of a dog attack killing penguins in Low Head this year,” he said.
“Each attack is a black mark against our image as this great, green state we keep promoting.
“The reality is we have dogs roaming freely, killing penguins, and councils without the capacity to control it.”
In June, 12 penguins were found dead in a rubbish bin at Low Head Coastal Reserve, believed to have been killed by dogs.
George Town mayor Bridget Archer said the council remained proactive in its promotion of responsible pet ownership.
“That [Low Head conservation] is a prohibited area for dogs, but as a council we can always be doing more and will remain vigilant,” she said.
“If the allegations are true, this is a reprehensible act of an incredibly irresponsible dog owner.”
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact DPIPWE’s Wildlife Operations Branch on 0427 437 020, PWS on 1300 827 727 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Information can be provided anonymously.
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