Evidence of Rakali predation on a Little Penguin chick

Abstract

The Australian Water-rat or Rakali Hydromys chrysogaster is an opportunistic predator known to feed on a varietyof aquatic species, as well as birds’ eggs and carrion. Although Rakali often share habitat with Little Penguins Eudyptula minor, documented predation events are rare. Trail cameras were installed in eight Penguin nests along the breakwater in St Kilda, Victoria, over one Penguin breeding season. Cameras recorded one instance of a Rakali killing a Penguin chick that was being guarded by an adult, and another of a Rakali scavenging a dead chick. This represents the first video evidence of Rakali preying on and consuming Little Penguins, and the first recorded instance of an attack on a chick under adult supervision. These observations suggest that Rakali predation on Little Penguins may be more common than previously thought.