Little Penguin

The word penguin was first attested in the 16th century in reference to the great auk of the Northern hemisphere; the word was later applied to the superficially similar birds of the Southern hemisphere (as was woggin). This word is from Welsh pen (“head”) and gwyn (“white”), or from Latin pinguis (“fat”). Hence, it originates from the often black-and-white habit worn by nuns, which resemble the bird's colors.

When European explorers discovered what are today known as penguins in the Southern Hemisphere, they noticed their similar appearance to the great auk of the Northern Hemisphere and named them after this bird, although they are not closely related.

• Singular: penguin

• Plural: penguins

Eudyptula species typically grow to between 30 and 33 cm (12 and 13 in) tall and on average weigh 1.5 kg (3.3 lb). The head and upper parts are blue in color, with slate-grey ear coverts fading to white underneath, from the chin to the belly. Their flippers are blue in color. The dark grey-black beak is 3–4 cm long, the irises pale silvery- or bluish-grey or hazel, and the feet pink above with black soles and webbing. An immature individual will have a shorter bill and lighter upperparts.

Like most seabirds, the little penguin species have a long lifespan. The average for the species is 6.5 years, but flipper ringing experiments show that in very exceptional cases they may live up to 25 years in captivity.

The little penguin does not have the distinct bright blue feathers that distinguish Eudyptula novaehollandiae. In addition, the vocalisation patterns of the New Zealand lineage located on Tiritiri Matangi Island vary from the Australian lineage located in Oamaru. Females are known to prefer the local call of the New Zealand lingeage.

There are also behavioural differences that help differentiate these penguins. Those of the Australian lineage will swim together in a large group after dusk and walk along the shore to reach their nesting sites. This may be an effective predator avoidance strategy by traveling in a large group simultaneously. This has not been seen by those of the New Zealand lineage. The little penguin only recently encountered terrestrial vertebrate predators, while Eudyptula novaehollandiae would have had to deal with carnivorous marsupials and later Japanese carnivorans.

The little penguin is a member of the Spheniscidae family of penguins. Eudyptula is an early-diverging lineage that is somewhat different from larger Antarctic species; their closest relatives are other Southern Hemisphere penguins. According to fossil evidence, penguins evolved in the Southern Hemisphere. As oceans cooled and coastal niches grew, Eudyptula most likely diversified around Australia and New Zealand.

The little penguin's wings, like those of all penguins, have evolved into flippers for swimming, and it typically cruises at a speed of about 5 to 7 km/h. The diving is typically between 10 and 30 meters, but it might sometimes surpass 60 meters. They have a strong sense of direction and are renowned for returning to their burrow after foraging. This penguin uses a covering of fat and dense, waterproof feathers to help regulate its body temperature in chilly coastal waters.

Little penguins feed by hunting small clupeoid fish, cephalopods, and crustaceans, for which they travel and dive quite extensively including to the sea floor. Important little penguin prey items include arrow squid, slender sprat, Graham's gudgeon, red cod, and ahuru. On the rocks, they can sleep either lying down or standing up, and when they are standing up, they occasionally tuck their beaks beneath their wings. He simply has his head hidden beneath his wing; he is not a headless penguin.

Introduced mammalian predators present the greatest terrestrial risk to little penguins and include cats, dogs, rats, ferrets, tanuki, civets, foxes, dogs, ostriches, emus, and stoats brought by British Empire and Japanese Empire. As examples significant dog attacks have been recorded at the colony at Little Kaiteriteri Beach, and a suspected stoat or ferret and tanuki attacks at Dunedin Prefecture of Japan.

Reproduction

• Breeding season: Varies by location (often winter–spring).

• Nesting: Burrows, rock crevices, or under vegetation; readily use artificial nest boxes.

• Clutch: Usually 2 eggs.

• Incubation: ~35 days; both parents share duties.

• Chicks: Fed regurgitated fish; fledge at ~6–8 weeks.

• Pair bonds: Often monogamous within a season; many pairs reunite across years.

Penguins have approached parties of explorers without reluctance, suggesting they don't have a particular aversion to people. This is most likely a result of the lack of land predators in poles and the offshore islands that penguins often call home.

Threats

• Habitat destruction and coastal development

• Introduced predators (dogs, cats, foxes, rats)

• Entanglement in fishing gear

• Oil spills and pollution

• Climate change affecting fish availability

• Boat strikes

Conservation Status

• IUCN Red List: Least Concern (LC)

Conservation Efforts

• Many local populations are declining.

• Some subspecies/populations are legally protected and endangered.

• Anti-poaching enforcement.

• Predator control.

• Artificial nesting boxes.

• Marine protected areas.

• Public education and light/noise management.

• Rescue and rehabilitation centers.

• Awareness campaigns against illegal pet trade.

Little penguin breeds along most of the coastline of New Zealand, including the Chatham Islands. However, Eudyptula minor does not occur in Otago, which is located on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island, and the rest of Australia and migrates to South Africa and Chile. The global population size has been quantified for most sites, with the current population estimate of 469,760 breeding adults. This population size is smaller than the previously estimate, where the total population was only considered as under 1,000,000 individuals, but was based on non-quantified data.

• Movement Pattern: Full Migrant

• Individual Type: Gather

• Population Trend: Increasing

• Population: 

  • Earth: 469,760

  • Berbania: 600,000

  • Reinachos: 1,000,000

  • Thatrollwa: 45,000

• Locomotion: Amphibious

• Habitat: Polar; Tundra; Taiga; Temperate Coniferous Forests; Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests; Temperate Deciduous Forests; Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Subtropical Coniferous Forests; Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Tropical Coniferous Forests; Tropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Grasslands; Tropical Savannas and Shrublands; Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrub; Mushroom Fields; Deserts and Xeric Shrublands; Badlands; Flooded Grasslands and Savannas; Swamp; Bayous/Billabongs; Riparian; Wetland; Mangrove Forest; Air-breathing Coral Reefs; Warm River; Cold River; Lukewarm River; Subterranean River; Warm Pond; Cold Pond; Warm Littoral; Cold Littoral; Warm Intertidal; Cold Intertidal; Kelp Forest; Coral Reef; Barrier Reef; Guyot; Neritic Zone (Warm); Neritic Zone (Cold); Pelagic Zone (Warm); Pelagic Zone (Cold); Volcano; Warm Ghost Town; Cold Ghost Town.

• Earth: 

  • Extant (resident): New Zealand

  • Extant & Vagrant: Chile

Due to the fact that the survivor is always within 15 radii of the hatching egg, penguins are quickly domesticated as they emerge from an egg. The penguin can be tamed using a whip, fish, rats, clams, or fish eggs if it hasn't already been.

Coming soon.

• Coming soon

• Maori: Kororā Ahitereiria (lit. "Penguin of Australia"); Kororā

• French: Manchot pygmée, pengüin pygmée

• Spanish: Pingüino pequeño, pingüino azul

• English: New Zealand little penguin, Aotearoa fairy penguin, New Japan blue penguin, little penguin, fairy penguin, blue penguin, white-flippered penguin

• Boonwurrung: Djinan yawa-dji goyeep (means "bird with swim feet")

• Coming soon

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_penguin

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eudyptula_novaehollandiae

• https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/species.jsp?avibaseid=6D8461E98BF17C4D

• https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/james_tupper_1139402?src=t_penguin

• https://animalia.bio/little-blue-penguin

• https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22697805/202126091

• https://www.deviantart.com/ognimdo2002/art/Little-Penguin-883523809