Birdorable Yellow-eyed Penguin

Birdorable Yellow-eyed Penguin

The Yellow-eyed Penguin is native to New Zealand, where it is also called Hoiho. There are only about 4,000 of these cute penguins left and it is considered one of the world's rarest penguins. Threats include habitat degradation and the introducion of predators, like wild cats and ferrets. In spring 2004, a disease killed off 60% of yellow-eyed Penguins on the Otago peninsula and in North Otago. The disease was described as diphtheritic stomatitis, but that is just a secondary infection while the primary pathegen remains unknown. A similar problem has affected another population on Stewart Island, where in six years about 70% of the penguin chicks died from a mystery illness. A reserve protecting more than 10% of the mainland population was established in 2007 in the Catlins by the Department of Conservation and the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust. A 12km coastal reserve in the Catlins in the south of New Zealand's South Island was established in 2007 for the protection of the Yellow-eyed Penguin by the Department of Conservation.

Yellow-eyed Penguin photo

Yellow-eyed Penguin by Kimberley Collins (CC BY 2.0 DEED)

Yellow-eyed Penguin photo

Yellow-eyed Penguin by Bernard Spragg (public domain)

Comments

Louise Warner on February 27, 2017 at 7:58 AM wrote:
piko?

Leave a comment

Comments with links or HTML will be deleted. Your comment will be published pending approval.
Your email address will not be published
You can unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For more information on how to unsubscribe, our privacy practices, and how we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy, please review our Privacy Policy. By clicking submit below, you consent to allow Birdorable to store and process the personal information submitted above to provide you the content requested.

A Closer Look at the Cinnamon Teal

Have you ever found yourself mesmerized by the vibrant colors and graceful movements of birds during a leisurely stroll or while exploring the great outdoors? If so, there’s one bird in particular that might just steal your heart – the Cinnamon Teal. This small, but unmistakably striking...

10 Years of Birdorable

Can you believe that we started Birdorable way back in 2006?! To celebrate our 10th anniversary, we will start our annual Birdorable Bonanza this Friday, revealing a new bird each day for 10 days. We'll share the birds here on the blog and on our Facebook page,...

Meet the Common Goldeneye: A Global Traveler of Sea and Sky

Our Bonanza hits the water today with our 477th species, the Common Goldeneye. Common Goldeneyes are sea ducks with a broad global range. They breed across northern forests in Canada, Scandinavia, Russia, and China. They winter across much of North America and...

Busting a Bird Myth: Storks Deliver Babies

The myth that storks deliver babies is a charming, old tale rooted in folklore, but it has no basis in reality. Storks don’t actually deliver babies, of course! This idea likely arose from a combination of the bird’s natural behavior and ancient symbolism. The popularity of the myth originates...