Unwelcome dogs in breeding area

THE uneasy peace between bird and dog lovers in Tasmania is fraying again as canines continue to be taken to an East Coast beach which is closed because it is a prime breeding habitat.

Bird lovers have been calling for pet owners to keep their dogs under control in the face of an ever-increasing number of attacks on little penguins over the past two years.

More than 130 birds have been killed.

Now an East Coast bird lover has sent the photographs he has taken of dogs playing at the Scamander Barway — an area the Break O’Day Council closed off on October 1 to allow breeding birds to do their thing — to the Parks and Wildlife Service and state MPs.

The area is one of the largest breeding sites in Tasmania for the fairy tern and hooded plover and a much-visited stopover for migratory species.

“The council has done the right thing and restricted dog access. Signs have been put up but it seems the signs are not big enough or dog owners are blatantly ignoring them,” the resident said. “If a rule is made to protect bird life it needs to be enforced.”

Birdlife Tasmania director Eric Woehler said the area was important and the dog ban was based on bird survey data.

“The signs are up but it seems both locals and visitors do not care,” Dr Woehler said.

“It seems dogs are more important than threatened species. People will not stop until the laws are enforced. The council has only one dog catcher who works part-time to cover an area from Mt William down to Bicheno.”

Break O’Day Mayor Mick Tucker said the council was trying its hardest to enforce dog bans but was hamstrung by a lack of resources.

“The beaches are controlled by the PWS but it also does not have a big footprint in what is a huge area,” Mr Tucker said.

“You could go to the beach at 9am and not see a dog and get there half an hour later and the place is crowded. There seems little use having all the signage if it is not policed. What we need is community education.”

A Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service spokesman said staff from the St Helens Field Centre patrolled the area of The Spit at Scamander twice a day “and at other times as their works program permits”.

“The PWS also works with local volunteers on a program of monitoring breeding success of hooded plovers and little terns at the site,” he said.