At a glance
- IUCN category
- EN · Endangered
- Animal group
- Birds
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The yellow-eyed penguin (hoiho) is a rare New Zealand penguin with a band of yellow around its eyes. It is assessed as Endangered.
Unlike many penguins it nests in dispersed, hidden sites rather than dense colonies.
Range & habitat
Coasts of southern New Zealand and nearby sub-Antarctic islands.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Disease and food shortages
- Introduced predators
- Habitat disturbance and bycatch
Why it matters
One of the world's rarest penguins and a New Zealand icon, the yellow-eyed penguin is a flagship for coastal forest restoration and predator control.
Sources
Sources for Yellow-eyed Penguin
- IUCN Red List — look up Yellow-eyed Penguin (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web
Frequently Asked Questions
What is unusual about how the yellow-eyed penguin nests?
Rather than packing into dense colonies, it nests in dispersed, sheltered sites in coastal vegetation, often out of sight of other nests.
Why is the yellow-eyed penguin Endangered?
Published assessments cite disease and food shortages, introduced predators, habitat disturbance, and bycatch. See the IUCN Red List for the current assessment.
Last updated: