Grass burn-off backfires killing 42 penguins

Fairy penguins are the smallest penguin species in the world.

By staff and wire reports

SYDNEY, Australia -- A grass burn gone wrong has killed 42 fairy penguins on an island off Sydney.

A plan by Australian authorities to clear grass to help the penguins' nesting habits backfired badly, sending the 42 birds to an early and fiery death.

Fairy penguins are the smallest penguin species in the world, and are only 40 cm (1ft) tall, weighing about 1kg (2.2lbs).

Southern National Parks and Wildlife Service director Tony Fleming said the controlled burn-off on Montague Island was intended to clear kikuyu grass.

"The staff thought the burn had been completed and it was out and overnight it appears to have re-ignited in one small place and taken off," he told Australian radio.

'Unfortunate'

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A wildlife expert has said the loss is "unfortunate," but downplayed the significance of the event.

"Forty-two penguins is less than half of one percent of the breeding population" said Nick Klomp, associate professor of wildlife management at Charles Sturt University.

The 5,000 breeding pairs of fairy penguins in the colony would not be adversely affected, he added.

The burn-off had been timed to coincide with winter, when most penguins are out at sea.

Fairy penguins are quite common in Australia but a probe has been launched into their deaths.

The reserve is eight km (five miles) off Sydney's coast.

Reuters contributed to this report.