| Yellow-eyed penguin |
Megadyptes antipodes (Mega = big, dyptes = diver, antipodes = southern lands) i.e. big diver from the southern lands. |
| Maori name |
Hoiho (translation: Noise shouter). The ancient Maori name was Tavora. |
| Status |
Endemic |
| Size |
Adults 65 – 68cm in height. It is the fourth largest penguin in the world. |
| Weight |
5 – 8kg |
| Colour |
Slate grey/blue back, white breast and belly. Yellow eyes and eye band. |
| Habitat |
Forest and scrub land. Yellow-eyed penguins breed in forest or scrubland, choosing to build nests against rocks or tree trunks – out of visual contact of other pairs. |
| Population |
486 breeding pairs on the New Zealand mainland. |
| Voice |
A shrill call. Each penguin has a voice that is different from all other penguins. |
| Food |
Sometimes they make a daily round trip of 30km searching for food. They dive 200-300 times a day whilst foraging. |
| Lifespan |
At least 22 years. |
| Eggs |
Usually lays two white eggs in September and both parents take turns to ‘sit’ on the eggs. The eggs hatch after 43 days. Eggs hatch in one day. |
| Threats |
Only 15% of chicks survive to breed themselves. Its numbers have declined in the last 50 years due to habitat loss and environmental changes. Dogs attack them, and cats, stoats and ferrets kill their chicks. Out at sea hoiho tangle and drown in set nets, or may not be able to find enough fish to eat. |
