New sound system rolled out in Manly to attract little penguins to safe breeding grounds

TECHNOLOGY dubbed the “love machine” by wildlife volunteers will be rolled out in Manly to lure little penguins to a safe breeding haven.

A sounds system playing little penguin mating calls is trying to lure a colony back to Manly’s Collins Beach.

TECHNOLOGY dubbed the “love machine” by wildlife volunteers will be rolled out in Manly to lure little penguins to a breeding haven.

The system echoes penguin mating calls in a bid to attract them to the Australian Institute of Police Management, at Collins Flat to re-establish a breeding colony destroyed by foxes.

Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton launched the program saying it wold bolster the “crack team” of more than 50 volunteers who help protect the little penguins.

Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton with some volunteers from National Parks and Wildlife Services NSW at Collins Beach Manly. Picture: Adam Yip.

“We have a wonderful volunteer patrol looking after our little penguins,” she said.

“They go out in all situations at night, in the cold of winter to make sure that we have a really bright future for our penguins.”

The New Zealand-designed $3000 sound system was brought in to entice the colony back after a fox killed seven penguins in 2015.

Sydney Harbour National Park ranger Melanie Tyas said the penguins had not returned since the attack.

Rangers started using the device two weeks ago and have already seen some penguins showing curiosity.

Australian Institute of Police Management facilities manager David Ruckert with Melanie Tyas from National Parks and Wildlife Services NSW with a speaker on the hill at Collins Beach. Picture: Adam Yip.

“The first night it was activated we actually had a penguin screaming back at the speaker,” she said.

“It is really quite noisy, we have had a few reports of people saying there was some penguin activity going on but it is actually our machine at the moment.”

Manly state Liberal MP James Griffin praised the project to help penguins.

“A lot of volunteer hours go into making sure penguins are safe and hopefully this program will help re-establish the colony,” he said.