Ecological effects of climate change on little penguins Eudyptula minor and the potential economic impact on tourism

Little penguins Eudyptula minor, the world's smallest penguin, occur throughout New Zealand and the southern coast of Australia. Up to 1500 little penguins come ashore each night on Summerland Beach, Phillip Island (Fig. This penguin colony has been carefully monitored and managed for > 40 yr with many threats being addressed to ensure that the population remains secure (Dann 1992). The Penguin Parade is an iconic component of Victoria's tourism industry: in 2010 attracting 471 680 domestic and international visitors, providing direct employment to ~200 staff and contributing >100 million dollars in tourism to the region (PINP 2011). Therefore should a significant reduction in the number of penguins at the Penguin Parade occur, as a result of climate change, considerable flow-on effects to regional tourism revenue would be expected.