Marine Conservation Program

This time of year, our team receives an annual spike in reports of deceased and injured individual penguins across the state.

This is not unusual and is typically associated with juvenile penguins not fledging successfully.

However, it is a timely reminder to consider ways to minimise our impacts on little penguin populations. A good starting point is to familiarise yourself with the Penguin Watching Guidelines in place to protect penguins and allow visitors to see them under natural conditions. For more information, check out our website: https://nre.tas.gov.au/wildlife-management/penguin-watching-guidelines

Penguins are protected wildlife, and it is illegal to catch, attempt to catch or harass penguins.

📷 Peviz Marker

Marine Conservation Program staff have received a report about a stranded adult dolphin at Bruny Island.

The species is not yet known.

Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service are working with advice from the Marine Conservation Program to try to refloat the dolphin.

No further assistance is needed at this time.

To report strandings call the Marine Mammal Hotline on 0427 WHALES (0427 942 537).

Celebrating World Albatross Day 2025

World Albatross Day (19 June) is dedicated to raising awareness for albatross and other seabirds.

Did you know Australia has its own albatross species?

Unique to Tasmania, the Shy Albatross breeds on just three offshore islands around Tasmania - Albatross Island in the north and Pedra Branca and the Mewstone in the south.

These majestic seabirds only lay one egg per year, hopefully raising their single chick to successfully fledge. As adults, they spend most of their lives in Australian waters and can travel up to 1000 kilometres in a single day.

They face risks from climate change impacts, offshore developments, fisheries bycatch, and the potential arrival of High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza into Australia.

Listed as threatened under Tasmanian and Australian Government legislation, the species is closely monitored by the Marine Conservation Program to understand population trends and ecology as well as identify key threatening processes impacting the species.

This knowledge helps us identify practical on-ground actions that may help minimise effects of ongoing threats to this important and charismatic marine predator.

Want to learn more? Visit the NRE Tas website: https://nre.tas.gov.au/conservation/threatened-species-and-communities/lists-of-threatened-species/threatened-species-vertebrates/shy-albatross


Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service
Biosecurity Tasmania

Euthanasia operations are now completed following a mass false killer whale stranding near Arthur River, where challenging weather conditions and remote access impeded rescue options.

Both human and animal safety and welfare were a key priority today.

Our wildlife veterinarian Sarah Michael oversaw the euthanasia.

“I observed the euthanasia and I am confident it was accomplished humanely using our established best practice procedure. I’m also confident that euthanasia was the right decision for this complex situation,” Dr Michael said.

Post-mortem investigations began on site today and further sampling will continue into tomorrow.

Our wildlife veterinarians are working with a veterinary pathologist from the Department's Health Laboratory to undertake necropsies, which will provide invaluable information on the health of the whales.

Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service has closed the roads and beaches in the area. To stay up to date with closures visit https://parks.tas.gov.au/alerts