If you’ve ever walked along the coast around Manly on the northern side of Sydney Harbour, you might have noticed signs referring to penguins in the area. If you want in on the joke, we’re here to help – there isn’t one. Despite its balmy climate, Manly is actually home to a colony of penguins – the only remaining breeding colony on the NSW mainland. Here’s what we know about Sydney’s water-based birdies.
Are there penguins in Sydney?
Little penguins – a species of penguin originating from New Zealand, also known as fairy penguins or their Māori name kororā – are known to breed on more than 10 island sites off the NSW coast, including Lion Island, Five Islands and Pittwater. The adorable aquatic creatures have been spotted foraging for food throughout Sydney Harbour and along the coast, with frequent sightings around Bondi, Botany Bay, Mosman, Narrabeen and Vaucluse. But it’s Manly that was chosen as their mainland breeding site, with the colony returning to the northern beaches coast each year to breed between May and February.
The colony of little penguins who call the secluded coves around Manly home were first reported by residents back in the 1940s, and – despite predators and other looming dangers including boat strikes, fishing lines, hooks and pollution – they still return every year to nest in the rock crevices and man-made nest boxes on the coast around Manly.
Where and when do penguins nest in Sydney?
Between May and February every year, adult little penguins return to Manly to breed, raise their young and prepare for their next season at sea by moulting and re-growing new waterproof feathers. Growing new penguins is a big job, and little penguins only breed when they’ve reached a certain weight, so it's crucial that these little swimmers get enough to eat (another reason why overfishing is an issue).
In case you’re unfamiliar with the Happy Feet plot arch, the female penguin generally lays two eggs, and both parents are responsible for keeping the eggs warm until the chicks hatch around 36 days later. While the chicks are in the nest, parents will take it in turns to fetch fish for their little ones, generally foraging just before sunrise and after sunset. The chicks will open their eyes within a week, and gradually grow a new set of waterproof feathers by around six to seven weeks of age – ready to set off out of the nest and into the ocean at around two months of age. After two to three years at sea, an estimated 30 per cent of the chicks born in Manly will return to the very same spot to start a family of their own.
Can you see penguins in Sydney?
Although Sydney’s North Harbour was once a thriving penguin habitat for hundreds of penguins, overfishing and pollution saw penguin numbers decline to as low as 35 breeding pairs during the 1990s. Thanks to work by National Parks and Wildlife Service, Office of Environment and Heritage, Manly Council, Manly Environment Centre, Taronga Zoo and the community, those numbers have been boosted back to around 60 to 70 breeding pairs. The area around North Harbour is regarded as a critical habitat for Manly’s little penguin population, and although they’re seen elsewhere, this is the area where penguin-protection measures (keeping cats indoors, preventing litter from entering the harbour) are most crucial.
Since the population is so fragile, it’s important to be extra careful if you do ever happen to see one of these aquatic cuties in the wild – and you can volunteer to help protect their habitats over here.
If you’re keen to get up close and personal with some penguins in Sydney, you can do so at Sydney Sea Life Aquarium and at Taronga Zoo.
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