Australia’s State of the Environment Report was finally released recently – and its findings are a staggering picture of loss and devastation
But there are those heroes who have devoted their time to improving and protecting our wildlife.
“I’ve met people who don’t like Christmas and cats and babies,” says Peter Dann. “But I’ve never met someone who doesn’t like penguins.”
An environmental trailblaiser Dann estimates he has watched the penguins come ashore at Phillip Island more than 1000 times, and has been fascinated every single time.
Renowned zoologist Dr Peter Dann is retiring after a 42 year career at Phillip Island having devoted a lifetime to the conservation and understanding of Australia's only penguin species, the Little Penguin.
Peter was instrumental in saving Phillip Island’s last remaining penguin colony from extinction through a series of world-first initiatives and long term research. It is now the world’s largest Little Penguin colony, safe from land-based threats. In 1984 the bird population was between 12,000 – 14,000. Now, it is around 40,000, It took 25 years to complete the buyback.
Over the past four decades, Peter has excelled in the academic field, contributing enormous knowledge for not only penguins, but also broader seabird conservation, land management solutions, ecotourism, marine modelling, climate change, and developing a revolutionary method of treating oil-affected wildlife in the field.
Peter has contributed significantly to the ornithological community through representation on many committees including Birds Australia. He has published over 200 papers and book chapters and edited a book on penguin ecology and management ensuring a major legacy for ecology in Australia and the world.
Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/
Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk
Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1365850
Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/
Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk
Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1365850