Jane Bamford

Ceramic Little Penguin Nesting Module Project (2020/21) - created for the threatened population of Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor) Kangaroo Island, South Australia.  

Little penguin colonies are currently experiencing a range of pressures including loss of nesting habitat, predation and depleting food sources. In addition to this, penguins in a threatened colony at Kangaroo Island (South Australia) are experiencing heat stress in their current artificial burrows, particularly during their moult season. In 2020/21 Jane began collaborating with Sarah-Lena Reinhold and Dr Diane Colombelli-Négrel, with an intention to overcome this problem by using shared knowledge to inform the design and creation of ceramic little penguin nesting modules. On island support was offered by Kate Welz.

 Various design features were developed including adding ventilation holes sited to capture prevailing winds and sea breezes. Sand ladders were created to prevent predators from digging into the entrance to gain access, and inspection lids were added for ease of survey by scientists. These features were created with the intention of overcoming the disturbances to the birds in moult and/or when nesting.

Jane launched this innovative art/science project at 'Crafted Technology’, an exhibition curated by Caitlin Eyre at the Jam Factory in Adelaide. Jane’s ceramic little penguin nesting module was offered for sale to ‘gift into habitat’, thus promoting philanthropy in this innovative project in species support. After exhibition, the nesting module/s were fitted with ibuttons (to measure temperature and humidity) and installed into the colony for monitoring little penguins in moult and nesting uptake. The data collected from these studies will inform further designs.

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Jane acknowledges her project collaborators

Sarah-Lena Reinhold, PhD Candidate, School of Biological Sciences & Environment, University of Adelaide.

Dr Diane Colombelli-Négrel, penguin ecologist and lecturer in animal behaviour at Flinders University.

Jane also acknowledges other project partners and supporters

Kate Welz, President of the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Network.

The generous philanthropists who purchased these ceramic little penguin nesting modules to ‘gift into habitat’

The Jam Factory is a generous sponsor of this work.

Paul Jennings, Kangaroo Island Landscape Board, for assistance with module placement permit.

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“I see artistic design and development of habitat support as innovative and important creative work. I believe artists are uniquely placed to transform conversations around species extinction and translate this into work. I am interested in research on species extinction and also the notable and significant 'thinning' of species all around the globe and the factors that affect the social understanding of these events. I want to take my work into the gallery space to bring these issues to this community. I am interested in the way this gallery experience can provide the community with the opportunity to buy work to be ‘gifted into habitat’ thus promoting philanthropy in this sector. My work promotes dialogue about the benefits of sharing and having cross-disciplinary knowledge and to share my experiences of art/science collaboration and the skills I believe that an artist may bring to the table.”                        Jane Bamford 2021

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Links for further information on this project:

https://www.instagram.com/p/COcaSfaDdGE/?utm_medium=copy_link

https://www.abc.net.au/radio/hobart/programs/your-afternoon/making-ceramic-penguin-homes/13437286  

https://blogs.flinders.edu.au/fit/2021/05/17/artist-designs-special-safe-penguin-burrow/

https://www.thewire.org.au/story/nesting-module-gives-hope-to-little-penguins-on-kangaroo-island/ 

Jane was invited to be a guest speaker at the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Carnival in October 2021. She committed to creating another ceramic nesting module whilst at the carnival. This opportunity and further work on this project has been made possible with the assistance of Arts Tasmania.