Meet The Big Dogs Guarding Australia’s Vulnerable Penguins

The world’s smallest penguins have been brought back from the brink of extinction and it’s all thanks to dogs!

In a video produced and shared by Terra Mater Studios, you can learn about a huge conservationist win coming from Australia.

Off the coast of Warrnambool city you can find Middle Island, Australia, home to the fairy penguin, also known as the little penguin.

According to SeaWorld, the little penguin is the smallest penguin species in the world and weighs up to just 2 pounds.

Sadly, foxes were introduced to Middle Island in the 1990s and they nearly obliterated the penguin populations. Since the little penguins nest on the ground, they didn’t stand a chance against the hungry foxes.

As shared in the video, a local farmer with no conservation background ended up saving the penguins.

Being a chicken farmer, Swampy Marsh had his fair share of experience in protecting birds from foxes. He ended up turning to the help of Maremma guardian dogs to keep foxes away.

While dogs weren’t previously allowed on Middle Island, the council gave special permission for Marsh to bring his dog, Oddball, to see if he could help keep the foxes away.

As it turns out, his plan worked!

Since then, other Maremma guardian dogs were introduced to the island and the penguin populations were able to grow.

You can see more in the video below: