Island regains native flora
Efforts to repopulate Penguin Island with its traditional native flora were successful last month, when the long-gone hollyhock plant was successfully replenished.
Department of Parks and Wildlife ecologist Kate Brown said the flowering plant disappeared from Penguin Island in the 1970s - most likely the result of competition from weeds and changing nutrient levels - but was now thriving again on the north of the island.
She said she was pleased a reintroduction program had been successful.
"The hollyhock was part of the first type collection at Penguin Island in 1870, and is an important part of the island's original vegetation structure," Ms Brown said.
"It's one of the larger restoration projects taking place and we are working on a way to do it on a larger scale."
Ms Brown said the hollyhock was only found on islands in the country's south, but had gradually disappeared over the last 20 years.
She said seeds from the last known population were treated in early winter and had happily all grown up and flowered.
Meanwhile, Murdoch University PhD student Aurelie Labbe was delighted to discover a number of bridal terns had arrived at the island overnight earlier this month - a victory in itself after the birds failed to arrive in 2011 and 2012 due to a rat problem.
