GREYMOUTH, New Zealand, May 28 (UPI) -- A penguin colony in New Zealand is under threat due to a new bicycle path where dogs have mauled birds on three occasions, officials said.
The Karoro penguin colony in Greymouth, New Zealand, was about two dozen birds strong, said Mayor Tony Kokshoorn, who lives near the beach where the birds are situated. Since a bike path popular with dog owners was installed recently, three of the birds have been mauled by dogs whose owners walked them without a leash.
The city has pledged to patrol the pathway and issue dog owners who walk their dogs without a leash a $300 fine, the Greymouth Star newspaper said Tuesday.
Wildlife experts say the colony is under threat anytime a mature penguin dies because the eggs or chicks it was caring for will probably die as well, making it difficult for the colony to reproduce fast enough to sustain itself.
