How Can You Help the St Kilda Penguins?
The St Kilda little penguin colony is wild and self-sustaining, but it lives right next to a busy inner-city beach, and that comes with real risks. Everything below is something you can actually do — most of it costs nothing.
1. Keep your distance and skip the flash
Stay at least 3 metres back from any penguin and never use flash photography, torches or phone lights near the breakwater — bright light disorients penguins and can cause adults to abandon nests. Non-flash photography is fine.
2. Leave dogs at home
Dogs are not permitted on St Kilda Pier or the breakwater at any time, including on-leash. A single off-leash dog can wipe out a season’s worth of nesting in minutes.
3. Take your rubbish, especially plastic, with you
Discarded fishing line, plastic rings and food packaging left on the foreshore end up in the harbour and can entangle or poison penguins and other wildlife. If you see litter near the breakwater, bag it and bin it — even if it isn’t yours.
4. Report an injured or distressed penguin
If you find a penguin that looks sick, injured or entangled, don’t approach or handle it yourself. Contact Wildlife Victoria on 1300 094 535, or speak to an Earthcare volunteer guide if one is on duty at the viewing area.
5. Volunteer with Earthcare St Kilda
Earthcare St Kilda is the not-for-profit that has researched and protected this colony since 1989. They’re always looking for volunteer penguin guides and helpers for the annual survey season. Get in touch via our contact page to find out what’s involved.
6. Donate to fund the research
Four decades of population monitoring, tagging and habitat management run almost entirely on donations and volunteer hours. Even a small contribution helps fund equipment, signage and predator control. Visit our donate page to support the colony directly.
7. Spread the word, accurately
Share what you learn about the colony with other visitors at the breakwater — many people don’t realise flash photography or dogs are a problem until someone tells them. Following and sharing from our Facebook page also helps more people find accurate, current information before they visit.
