Miss Gabrielle Potts-Todd1
1University Of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
Biography:
Gabrielle Potts-Todd is a PhD candidate in Environmental Science at the University of Newcastle, where her research focuses on little penguins in New South Wales, combining diet and gut microbiome analysis with population viability modelling to inform conservation management. She holds First Class Honours in Environmental Science and Management, also from the University of Newcastle, and received a College Award for academic achievement. Gabrielle's work sits at the intersection of molecular ecology and applied conservation science, and she is broadly interested in using research to support the protection of vulnerable species and ecosystems
Abstract:
Little penguins (Eudyptula minor) in New South Wales (NSW) are rapidly declining with recent surveys indicating reductions of up to 80%. Western Australia hosts another range-edge population, where rising ocean temperatures, poor prey availability and dietary transitions have been identified as major factors impacting population declines. However, little is known of the diet of NSW little penguins compared to other regions, highlighting the need to characterise their diet and how it may vary across colonies. eDNA metabarcoding was used to characterise the diet from scats collected at six NSW colonies during the breeding season (guard stage). At three colonies (Barunguba/Montague Island, Snapper Island, Tollgate Island), scats were collected over three years (2023–2025) to examine temporal changes in diet. The biodiversity present at the foraging location was characterised by metabarcoding from seawater at Barunguba over the same three years to compare the diet of little penguins to the available biota present in the environment (prey selection). Results indicate spatial differences in the diet of NSW little penguins and a shift away from dominant prey items of little penguins located in Victoria, to a diet dominated by bellowfish (Macroramphosus). These findings reveal that NSW little penguins primarily feed on different fish compared to little penguins from other regions, suggesting a recent change in diet and/or decreased nutrition may be contributing to their declining numbers. This study is a necessary first step in characterising the prey of NSW little penguins, providing a foundation for future conservation strategies to support population recovery.