UPDATE: Thirty dead little penguins washed ashore at Altona beach on Wednesday morning.
A local resident, who called authorities after he saw several dead penguins about 8am, said he believed more penguins could be washed up by the tide.
Officers from the Department of Environment and Primary Industries, Fisheries and Hobsons Bay council scoured the shoreline, bagging the penguins.
Zoe Hogg from the Earthcare St Kilda’s penguin team said the penguins were in good condition and their cause of death was a mystery.
“At the moment, 30 penguins are washed up; there may be more.
“They all look in pretty good condition and we have no idea why they’ve died.
“I was looking for microchip numbers but they don’t appear to be from Phillip Island.
“Only one of them had a microchip number and I don’t think it’s one of ours.”
Hobsons Bay CEO Chris Eddy said DEPI had taken the birds for testing and analysis to hopefully determine the cause of death.
DEPI regional director Travis Dowling said a veterinary pathologist would undertake further tests to ascertain the cause.
“This is a sad and very unfortunate event.”
Five penguins were taken to La Trobe University for testing on Wednesday afternoon, but DEPI is yet to release the results.
The rest of the penguins are being held in case further tests are needed.
Phillip Island has Victoria’s largest colony of little penguins, and they can also be found at St Kilda Breakwater.
Little penguins are protected under the Wildlife Act 1975.
