Every (Maremma) dog has its day

Maremma dog, Eudy on Middle Island

Dogs have long been considered man’s best friend, but across Victoria a certain breed is extending its companionship to some of the state’s most endangered species.

Maremmas are a breed of guardian dog that originated in Italy and have been used for centuries to successfully guard livestock. They are considered ideal for conservation work because they can bond to an array of animals, defend them from introduced predators and have a low prey-drive.

Middle Island Maremma ProjectIn 2006, the Middle Island Maremma Project was implemented following a sharp decline in the colony size of Fairy Penguins on Middle Island, just off the coast of Warrnambool on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road. Maremma dogs were trained and placed on the Island to protect the penguins from foxes during the breeding season.

The Project has been a huge success, with no evidence of fox attacks since that time, and a steady increase in penguin colony size from fewer than 10 birds in 2005 to an estimated 150 penguins today. The story has just been made into a feature film, Oddball, which has been a box office hit since being released in cinemas last month.Melbourne Zoo At Melbourne Zoo, Maremmas are also being put to work, guarding the Eastern Barred Bandicoot – which is now extinct in the wild as a result of habitat loss and predation from introduced predators, such as foxes. A two-year pilot program will trial whether bandicoots, protected by specially trained Maremmas, will be able to form self-sustaining populations in areas that are not enclosed by feral proof fences.

The first two working dog pups, Mackinnon and Banjo, have the joined the program and over the next two years they will be gradually introduced to sheep, Eastern Barred Bandicoots and other native species. When the dogs have matured they will begin work at trial sites including Tiverton Station, a private reserve in Western Victoria and Mooramong, a National Trust property near Skipton. Up to six Maremma Guardian Dogs will take part in the trial that will be staged over five years.

Healesville SanctuaryIn the Yarra Valley, two playful pups from opposite sides of the world have lapped up an unlikely friendship. Last year one of the Healesville Sanctuary’s dingo pups died suddenly from a suspected snake bite, leaving her sister Maliki alone and in need of a friend. As dingoes naturally live in packs, the Sanctuary’s keepers had to work quickly to find a solution.

Unable to source a purebred dingo, their research led them to the Maremma breed, and since that time, Maremma puppy Dante and Dingo pup Maliki have been best friends. The Maremma is the first Italian species to be housed within the Sanctuary, and the two dogs enjoy daily walks and play times – and it is not uncommon to hear Maliki howling with anticipation as the keepers prepare for them to spend time together.