In 2001, researchers counted over 1500 penguins on the island. Today, visitors are most likely to see the animals in a breeding program, organized to try to save the animals from becoming extinct. In 2012, there was a massive drop, and very few penguins were counted on the island, says penguin ecologist Dr Dianne Colombelli-Negrel. In 2013, the number had dropped to just 38 penguins. Reasons behind the decline have not been found, and as government officials and penguin specialists try to uncover answers, their findings only raise more questions. On other islands where humans are not present, the penguin population remains fine. Granite Island may be providing early ecological warning based on its heavier human interaction.
Analysis: If what they say is the case, why don't they just cut down on the human interaction allowed with the animals and see if it helps? Although they do need to continue their breeding program until the population of the penguins is large enough to test these possibilities, I don't see any other way to figure out what the problem is. Hopefully they will find a solution, though, so that Granite Island does not lose its population of penguins. It seems as though the other islands would soon follow if human interaction with the penguins switched over to their location. (Also, I found another article in which someone stole two fairy penguins from Granite Island. That's awful! I hope that those penguins are alright now, it's terrible to think someone who would abuse the animals or treat them as house pets would've done that.)
Source: http://www.abc.net.au/local/videos/2014/05/01/3995792.htm
Can humans not get the hint? We are hurting our environment, back away from the penguins!
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