- Yellow-eyed penguin nest numbers on mainland New Zealand have fallen by 80% since 2008.
- Fewer than 100 chicks remain across Stewart Island and the mainland this season.
- Conservation efforts aim to prevent the species' extinction within two decades.
Yellow-eyed penguins, one of the rarest penguins in the world and a beloved symbol on New Zealand’s five-dollar note, are facing a critical decline. Current estimates reveal only 143 nests on mainland New Zealand and Stewart Island/Rakiura, a stark drop from 739 in 2008/09. Without intervention, scientists warn the species could vanish from the mainland within 20 years.
The 2024/25 breeding season numbers are alarming, with fewer than 100 yellow-eyed penguin chicks counted. Experts estimate that only 20% of these chicks will survive to adulthood, highlighting the urgency of the situation. The decline is attributed to multiple threats, including disease, introduced predators, human activity, changes in adult diet, marine predation, and bycatch from fisheries.
“Work to save this taonga species includes predator control, monitoring nests, disease and injury treatment, starvation interventions and planting of native vegetation to restore yellow-eyed penguin habitat,” said Aaron Fleming, DOC Southern South Island Director of Operations.
Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu’s Puawai Swindells-Wallace commended the dedicated work of conservation rangers and volunteers but acknowledged the challenges of protecting a species with such a wide range. “Yellow-eyed penguins are a taonga species for Ngāi Tahu and it is unthinkable that we could lose them – we don’t really know what impact that could have on the whole ecosystem,” Puawai said.
The Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust recently appointed Anna Campbell to lead the organisation and drive innovation in conservation efforts. “Nest and chick numbers are critically low on mainland New Zealand,” Anna noted. “Now is the time to come together, be bold and brave – collaborating can enhance our potential to protect the yellow-eyed penguin.”
The Yellow-eyed Penguin Governance Group, comprising DOC, the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust, Ngāi Tahu, and Fisheries New Zealand, is working under the strategy Te Kaweka Takohaka mō te Hoiho. The group relies on public support to continue their conservation work.
Despite the dire numbers, dedicated efforts are ongoing. Groups like Penguin Rescue, the Wildlife Hospital Dunedin, and others are tackling issues such as predator control and habitat restoration. The hope is that these combined efforts will give yellow-eyed penguins a fighting chance to survive and thrive in their natural environment.