This will sort the peeping toms from the twitchers ...
Peek into private lives of penguins
The Mercury, Hobart, Edition 1 -THU 09 AUG 2001, Page 011
By: DANNY ROSE
MOVE over Big Brother -- a Tasmanian-first project is about to offer a
24-hour window on the underground lives of penguins.
The $150,000 project will be developed at Burnie and will be operating
in about two months. And unlike the Dream World-based television
phenomenon -- these subjects won't know they're being watched.
Project co-ordinator Michelle Foale said at the launch yesterday:
``There will be enough distance and insulation to make sure the birds
are oblivious to our presence. ``Some burrows are already installed and
penguins are living in them.''
More than 50 artificial penguin burrows will be established along a
kilometre of foreshore near the city's West Park Oval.
The area will also be revegetated and a penguin interpretation centre
built.
It will also be fenced, which will prevent penguins entering the
adjoining car park and also encourage them to use the new nests.
``The birds that have been living here have been nesting under
buildings for a number of years, which is very risky,'' Ms Foale said.
``They had to cross the car park and some have even crossed the
highway.''
Six of the burrows will feature a periscope-type viewing hole, allowing
visitors a unique peek into a working penguin burrow.
Visitors will be encouraged to arrive around dusk, with guided tours to
be taken through summer months.
``They'll even be able to watch chicks hatch or parents feeding them,''
Ms Foale said. ``It will be the only one of its type in the state.''
The burrows and the beach will be dimly lit with red light in order to
avoid disturbing th
birds at night.
The project is funded by the Natural Heritage Trust.
The colony has about 50 breeding pairs.
Ms Foale said researchers had monitored the colony of Little penguins
for a year in order to develop plans sensitive to their needs.
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
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