The Maremma Sheepdogs have proven very useful guarding Penguins.
On a small island near Warnambool Victoria, Maremma dogs are busy protecting Little Penguins, the smallest of the penguin species as part of a scientific experiment.
Middle Island, where the penguins live, can be accessed at low tide when the channel separating it is only about six inches deep.
Enter the European red fox who killed dozens of penguins during their nocturnal sorties. Increased human presence on the island also caused more decline in penguin numbers.
The colony was all but decimated when the local city council stepped in and tried various methods to control predation.
Thanks to Dave Williams, the city agreed to introduce a Maremma Sheepdog onto the island. After several attempts and different dogs, the population of Penguins has started to come back.