Elderly Woman Assaulted Trying To Protect Penguins From Dog

[Ripley]

What a charming man he is pushing over a 72 year old woman. Too many of the endangered colony of little penguins get killed by dogs.

From SMH today

"A GRANDSON of the Wild Oats XI owner Bob Oatley has been charged after an alleged assault on an elderly penguin warden who was trying to prevent a dog attack at Manly Cove on Saturday night - only weeks after seven penguins were killed by a dog in the area.

James Oatley, 27, of Mosman, was allegedly among a group of people on a boat that was pulling into the beach about 9pm. It is alleged he jumped off the boat and was followed by a large, short-haired dog believed to belong to the boat's skipper.

As soon as the dog was on the beach it started running towards a female penguin that was making its way to its mate, which was nesting further up the beach.

Angelika Treichler was guarding the penguin with a fellow penguin warden, Johnyth Burton. ''I put myself between the penguin and the dog,'' she said. ''I was running up and down the beach and the dog was trying to get past me.''

The dog seemed to think it was a game, said one of about 100 people who were watching the scene. ''The dog thought everyone was playing because the ladies where chasing it,'' said a local resident who did not want to be identified.

The wardens said they asked Mr Oatley and the dog's owner to put the dog on a leash, explaining they might be fined for letting their dog run on the beach.

Once the dog had been controlled, Mrs Burton went to talk to Mr Oatley and both wardens started taking photographs of the men and the scene.

It is alleged that Mr Oatley became aggressive, initially splashing water on to Mrs Burton, 72, to prevent her taking photos, then pushing her so she fell backwards on to the sand.

Onlookers came to her aid and she was badly shaken and resting in bed last night but did not have any serious injuries.

Ms Treichler said there were only five pairs of penguins left in the area and they had kept a low profile since seven of them were killed in a dog attack last month.

In mid-December Manly Council voted to establish tighter controls and improve the fencing to protect the endangered colony.

The council called on the Environment Department to declare the area a ''critical habitat'' and called for a ''zero-tolerance'' approach for infringements.

''We lose penguins all the time - that's why they are not increasing,'' Ms Treichler said. ''In the '50s we had hundreds of penguins. For [some] human beings their lifestyle seems to be more important than the penguins.''

Police arrived moments after the alleged assault. They arrested the man and breath-tested the boat's skipper.

Mr Oatley has been charged with common assault and is due to appear in Manly Local Court on January 27. The boat's owner, 27, of Manly, has been charged with drink-driving while in charge of a boat.

The Oatley family endured a protest hearing before Wild Oats XI was confirmed as the winner of the Sydney to Hobart for the fifth time in six years. A claim that the yacht had improperly used a radio during the race was dismissed.

[Zhou Xuanyao]

It sounds like a predictable outcome given the situation, the only thing unusual about it is that she was 72. Maybe this is not a job for a 72 year old. I know if I was taking photos of someone in this way without their consent, and then presumably continued after being signaled to stop, i'd expect that trouble is likely.

[cannibalgoldfish]

Um why not? They are a penguin guard not a nightclub bouncer. As long as you can activley watch the penguins who cares the age. It doesn't matter how old you are, drunken idiots would still have reacted like this. No one should be pushed over no matter what age.

[poodlefan]

Glad they found the culprit. Hope he gets an unsympathetic penguin loving judge.

Absolutely no excuse to allow dogs into a beach that's a fairy penguin colony.

[Souff]

Stupid yachtie. Hope they throw the book at him.

The locals dogs usually get the blame for penguin deaths. It is a good thing that this story brings to the public's awareness that sometimes the dogs do COME BY BOAT.

Souff

[Zhou Xuanyao]

Um why not?

Because I think photographing or filming people against their their will in this way makes push and shove situations inevitable.

These wardens have gone beyond the role of guarding penguins, and with that comes risk. It does not matter if you think they "should" push, fact is, people do. You or I being pushed is nothing, an old lady that is pushed could be seriously hurt, thats why age is a factor.

[mita]

Police arrived moments after the alleged assault. They arrested the man and breath-tested the boat's skipper.

Mr Oatley has been charged with common assault and is due to appear in Manly Local Court on January 27. The boat's owner, 27, of Manly, has been charged with drink-driving while in charge of a boat.

The police did a good job. Certainly wasn't a shortage of witnesses.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

He's obviously a spoilt brat who just doesn't know how to behave, especially when someone is being perfectly reasonable and pointing out to him what he is doing is wrong and why.

This incident didn't surprise at all. I had just had a morning tea at a local marina, lovely restaurant down there - you are allowed to take a dog with you as long as it onlead and well behaved.

I complied with this request, I had a little shihtzu with me, on lead. Not a peep out of him.

Imagine my horror when the yachties around there turned up with dogs off leash and completely out of control, one a massive staffy and the other was a German Shepherd. Both made a beeline for my shihtzu and I shouted at them. No apology for frightening the life out of me from either young male yachtie. The staffy actually came up behind us as we were trying to leave and gave me another fright. No owner in sight.

I will be reporting it to the council but won't be taking my dog to this venue again.

[Rozzie]

What a hero.

I hope they can do something to protect the last of the penguins.

[Cody]

What a hero.

My thoughts exactly.

____________________

Was the beach a public area? If it was, isn't it legal to take photos of anything/anyone in public?

[Loving my Oldies]

It sounds like a predictable outcome given the situation, the only thing unusual about it is that she was 72. Maybe this is not a job for a 72 year old. I know if I was taking photos of someone in this way without their consent, and then presumably continued after being signaled to stop, i'd expect that trouble is likely.

And who do you think is going to do it, Lo Pan? Going to come and volunteer?

It isn't a job in any case; it is a labour of love by people in the area who have seen the penquin numbers diminishing rapidly over the years, because yet again, the "powers that be" haven't the guts to stand up and be counted, to make and enforce the necessary rules and regulations to protect tiny defenceless birds who some people treasure.

[Tim'sMum]

Um why not?

Because I think photographing or filming people against their their will in this way makes push and shove situations inevitable.

These wardens have gone beyond the role of guarding penguins, and with that comes risk. It does not matter if you think they "should" push, fact is, people do. You or I being pushed is nothing, an old lady that is pushed could be seriously hurt, thats why age is a factor.

These people are volunteers, guarding an endangered species. There is no excuse for anyone to push any volunteer....particularly an older lady.

Cody....yes, it is a public beach at Manly and a busy tourist area. Anyone can stand there and take a photo and many people do just that. Dogs are definitely not allowed on the beach, even on lead.

We locals place great value on the Fairy Penguins and the fact that they call our area home. You can often see them hiding under the steps down to the beach, right beside Manly Wharf.