Little Penguin
Scientific nameEudyptula minor
Conservation status (IUCN)
Least Concern
Little Penguins, sometimes called Blue Penguins, are the smallest of all the world’s penguin species, and the only species to breed on the Australian mainland.
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Keeper Talk
2:40pm
Fun facts about Little Penguins
Where they live
7yrs
What they eat
Where they're found
30cm
1kg
2 eggs
Before they hatch
60m
25th April
Where they live
7yrs
What they eat
Where they're found
30cm
1kg
2 eggs
Before they hatch
60m
25th April
Did you know?
We bet you didn't know these facts about this penguin species.
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Life at sea
Around 80% of their life is spent at sea, with Penguins coming ashore to moult or breed.
A penguin hotspot
Australia’s largest breeding colony is located on Philip Island, south of Melbourne.
Colony livin'
A group of Penguins is called a ‘colony.’ Colonies vary in size from just a few nests to tens of thousands of pairs.
Built-in camouflage
A dark back and light belly is called countershading, it camouflages them against sunlight above and dark water below.
Fresh feathers
Penguins must moult each year, loosing and regrowing feathers to stay waterproof.
Penguin babies
A Little Penguin baby is called a chick, and has fluffy brown feathers.
Breeding programs
Taronga hosts the species breeding program for this animal through the Zoos and Aquarium Association (ZAA). This means we work with experts across Australasia to manage animal populations, not just to breed, but also support important husbandry knowledge, safeguarding this species for the future. 
Conservation status (IUCN)
Least Concern
Penguins under pressure
At sea, penguins face even more challenges. Both the overfishing and warming of our oceans is reducing food availability. Penguins are also extremely vulnerable to plastic pollution and litter, which they can mistakenly consume or become entangled in, which can prove fatal.
Little Penguin deep dive
Little penguin breeding season
Reduce, reuse and save marine life
When you choose reusable items and say no to single-use plastic, it makes a world of difference to wildlife.
