Eudyptes robustus
The Snares Penguin, Eudyptes robustus, is a medium-sized, charismatic crested penguin endemic to the remote Snares Islands off the coast of New Zealand. Standing approximately 50-70 cm (20-28 inches) tall and weighing 2.5-4 kg (5.5-8.8 lbs), this species is characterized by its glossy blue-black upperparts and pristine white underparts. A striking feature is the bright yellow superciliary stripe that extends into a prominent, shaggy crest above each eye, contrasting with the bare pink skin at...
Exclusively found on the rocky, vegetated subantarctic Snares Islands, nesting primarily within dense Olearia forest, Hebe scrub, or beneath tree ferns along the coastline and inland.
Primarily consumes krill (Euphausia spp.), small cephalopods (squid), and a variety of small fish, obtained through pursuit-diving in coastal waters.
Snares Penguins are highly colonial, forming dense breeding aggregations on their island home, yet they are diurnal, spending days foraging at sea and returning to shore in the late afternoon or evening. Foraging involves pursuit-diving for krill, small fish, and cephalopods, typically in relativ...
The Snares Penguin's breeding range is exclusively limited to the Snares Islands/Tini Haka (New Zealand subantarctic), an uninhabited archipelago located approximately 200 km (120 miles) south of Stewart Island/Rakiura, New Zealand. The entire global breeding population is concentrated on these s...
Vulnerable
- The Snares Penguin is one of the most geographically restricted penguin species, breeding exclusively on the Snares Islands in the New Zealand subantarctic. - Unlike most penguins that nest in open rocky areas, Snares Penguins prefer to nest under the dense forest canopy of Olearia trees or thi...