The homes of the Little Penguins of Montague Island will receive a renovation make-over next month as part of a joint project between Charles Sturt University and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).

The penguin’s underground nests on the NSW far south coast island are being strangled by invasive weed Kikuyu Grass. CSU researchers and NPWS officers will carry out a carefully controlled burn to monitor the effects of the fires and prevent harm to the penguins.

The CSU researchers will catch the penguins and house them in a specially enclosed area before resettling them back at home with new nesting boxes. Researchers will also replant the one hectare area with tens of thousands of native trees to prevent the kikuyu from regrowing.

The burn is part of a six year project that will see 24 hectares burnt to control kikuyu on the 80 hectare island.

For interviews with the chief CSU researcher on Montague Island, Professor Nick Klomp, contact the Media Office.