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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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Aussie Snipers Guard Penguins

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(Newser) – Sharpshooters with night-vision goggles have been dispatched to protect a penguin colony near Sydney, Australia, the BBC reports. The mutilated bodies of nine fairy penguins—the world's smallest penguin species at just 15 inches high—from the vulnerable colony have been found over the last two weeks. Wildlife officials have ruled out human involvement in the deaths and suspect foxes, dogs, or both.

A fairy penguin walks past the boardwalk at Manly Beach in Sydney, Australia.
A fairy penguin walks past the boardwalk at Manly Beach in Sydney, Australia.   (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)
Fairy penguins are the world's smallest penguin species.
Fairy penguins are the world's smallest penguin species.   (©rumpleteaser)
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Efforts are being made to catch the mystery predator killing off Sydney's penguins.   (clipsyndicate.com)

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7 comments
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Serenity
Jul 17, 09 7:59 AM CDT
They are so cute! Reply
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embersyc
Jul 17, 09 9:47 AM CDT
Just dont near them since they are protected by trained snipers, yikes!
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SBS
Jul 17, 09 5:25 PM CDT
Damn, they are cute.
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schmidtkoff
Jul 17, 09 10:41 AM CDT
glad to read they are trying to protect this smallest penguin species. i hate to see any species decimated and the possible extinction. are these wild dogs? are the foxes native to the area? the article really didn't say - but hoping for the best anyway. Reply
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Serenity
Jul 17, 09 11:32 AM CDT
They have another article on them, aparently there are 60 breeding pairs in this colony and losing 9 is a significant number. Reply
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