Fiordland Penguin

Fiordland Penguin

See Fiordland Penguins at Taronga Zoo Sydney

Taronga Zoo Sydney is the only Zoo caring for a colony of Fiordland Penguins. Fiordland Penguins are a rare species of crested penguin, with a large yellow eyebrow stripe, with an estimated population of 2,500-3,000 breeding pairs remaining in the wild. These penguins are generally secretive and do not form large colonies like other penguin species, instead nesting in remote caves, rock faces, and amongst tree roots.

Learn about Fiordland Penguins

Scientific name: Eudyptes pachyrhychus
IUCN status: NT – Near Threatened
Population trend: Declining
Size: Fiordland Penguins are around 40-45cm tall
Weight: Little Penguins weigh around 3-4kg
What are the babies called? A Fiordland Penguin baby is called a "chick"

Where are Fiordland Penguins found?

Fiordland Penguins breed throughout and are endemic to south-western New Zealand’s South Island, including the Fiordland region for which they are named, Stewart Island, and other several offshore islands. Outside of breeding season they travel across New Zealand, into deeper ocean, and occasionally as far as the Australian mainland as they forage.   

What do Fiordland Penguins eat?

Fiordland Penguins eat fish, squid, octopus, and krill.

A Perilous Journey

Fiordland Penguins that make the 2000km journey through sub-Antarctic waters and happen to reach Australia are often malnourished and require treatment at Taronga’s Wildlife Hospital. To prevent potential spread of disease to the declining wild population, these rescued penguins are unsuitable for return to New Zealand and instead join Taronga Zoo Sydney’s colony as an insurance population and ambassadors for their wild relatives. 

Precious Penguins 

Taronga’s colony is the only Fiordland Penguin population in any zoo globally. It is hoped that the group will successfully raise chicks in the future to form the first zoo-based breeding program for the special species. Taronga’s Fiordland Penguin ambassadors have allowed for significant insight into the biology and behaviours of these rare birds that guides conservation work.

Biggest threats to Fiordland Penguins

One of the biggest threats to penguins is the accidental entanglement or digestion of litter. Most of this pollution comes from items designed to use just once. Single-use plastics may offer a moment of convenience however they will never break down, putting wildlife like the Fiordland Penguin at risk. 
 

Your choice matters

Visit our Litter Free Oceans page to find out more about the difference you can make!

Fiordland Penguins
Fiordland Penguins