Fiordland Penguin(Eudyptes pachyrhynchus)
It is also known as the Fiordland crested penguin. This species is a medium-sized, yellow-crested, black-and-white penguin, growing to approximately 60 cm long and weighing on average 3.7 kg, with a weight range of 2 to 5.95 kg. It has dark, bluish-grey upperparts with a darker head, and white underparts. Its broad, yellow eyebrow-stripe extends over the eye and drops down the neck. It can be distinguished from the similar erect-crested penguin and Snares penguin in having no bare skin around the base of its bill.
Habitat
This penguin nests among tree roots and rocks in dense temperate coastal forest. It breeds along the shores the West Coast of the South Island south of Bruce Bay and the Open Bay Islands, around Fiordland and Foveaux Strait, and on Stewart Island/Rakiura and its outlying islands. They probably once nested in the North Island as well. Their range has been drastically reduced by hunting in Polynesian times, and they are now only found in the least-populated part of New Zealand.
Diet
The main prey species reported are cephalopods (85%, mainly arrow squid), followed by crustaceans (13%, primarily krill) and fish (2%, mainly red cod and hoki). However, the importance of cephalopods might be exaggerated. Prey taken seems to vary between Codfish Island and northern Fiordland.
Breeding
They are monogamous(mate for life withe one partner). Their breeding season is from July to December and they lay their eggs usually in July or August. Their nest is a shallow cup usually 30 cm across, sometimes lined with leaves, feathers, twigs or pebbles; usually situated against a rock, plant or earth wall; prefers hollows under fallen trees, roots, boulders or rock crevices. They normally lay one egg which is a dull white colour sometimes bluish when fresh, becoming mud-stained after a few days
Population
According to the IUCN Red List, they are classed as Near Threatened(NT). The number of mature individuals is between 12,500-50,000 but their will be more as that is just the adults so you are looking at around 75,000 roughly altogether(maybe more). Their population is considered as decreasing. This species was last assessed on the 18th August 2020.
Threats
Introduced terrestrial predators are an imminent threat. Stoats are considered the most significant predator of the species at present, with three trapped in 2016 following observations of stoats preying upon chicks at Jackson's Bay colony. In this and the preceding year productivity at this site was very low, but improved in 2017. Dogs also represent a potentially significant predator, particularly when moulting adults are confined ashore for 20-30 days, during which time a single dog would have the potential to wipe out a whole colony. Feral cats, rats, Weka and Common Brushtail Possum are also potential predators, but they appear to have negligible impacts on Fiordland Penguin populations. Resource competition with squid fisheries and bycatch are both threats imposed by local fisheries. In 2011 annual bycatch mortality was estimated to be between 38-176 birds with set nets of particular concern close to shore or within the fiords themselves. Birds are occasionally disturbed by humans at nest-sites, with human disturbance in the more accessible colonies in South Westland anecdotally attributed as causing nest failures and a decline in population. Small numbers are killed on roads. The pathogen Leucocytozoon tawaki has been identified from the species, but infections are of low prevalence and there appear to be no ill-effects reported. Pollution could become a major threat if proposed deep-sea oil exploration off the West Coast proceeds, and oil spills represent an ongoing, chronic threat with potential for a dramatic incident, most likely limited to a portion of the breeding range. El Niño events were found to have a detrimental effect on the breeding success of Fiordland penguins from the West Coast, although penguins breeding in Fiordland seem to be less affected by the climate phenomenon.
Conservation
Conservation Actions Underway
The New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC) established a Fiordland penguin Recovery Strategy 2012-17 plan that included continued population monitoring at representative sites, implementation of island biosecurity measures, and the investigation of the effects of predator control. As part of a five-year project commenced in 2014, the marine ecology (foraging ranges, diving behaviour, diet composition) of breeding Fiordland penguins was studied across their entire breeding range; the project also investigated the pre-moult dispersal of adult penguins. The species’s non-breeding migration will be investigated between 2016 and 2021. A video monitoring study examines the impact of introduced terrestrial predators on breeding Fiordland penguins. Population surveys are being carried out at additional sites throughout South Westland and Stewart Island which have not been surveyed recently, or at all. The Department of Conservation has previously regularly monitored nest numbers at sites throughout the species's breeding range; this programme was discontinued in 2016. At Harrison Cove in Milford Sound, an automatic wildlife monitoring system is being trialled for long-term population monitoring. The breeding islands are fully protected.
Conservation Actions Proposed
Expand the use of standardised census methods and survey areas of coastline not surveyed in the 1990s. Predator eradication/control – particularly mustelids – is necessary to prevent reproductive failure and mortality. Establish guidelines to control visitor access to colonies. Obtain legal protection for accessible colony sites. Investigate the viability of automated monitoring solutions to be deployed at representative locations within the species’ breeding range.