Eudyptes pachyrhynchus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	Sphenisciformes	Spheniscidae

Scientific Name:

Eudyptes pachyrhynchus

Species Authority:

Gray, 1845

Common Name/s:

English

–

Fiordland Penguin, Fiordland Crested Penguin

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable A2be+3be+4be; C1+2a(i) ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

BirdLife International

Evaluator/s:

Butchart, S. & Mahood, S. (BirdLife International Red List Authority)

Justification:
This species qualifies as Vulnerable because it has a small population which is assumed to have undergone a continuing rapid reduction over the last three generations (29 years), based on trend data from a few sites and a variety of threats, especially introduced predators.

History:

2005	–	Vulnerable
2004	–	Vulnerable
2000	–	Vulnerable
1994	–	Vulnerable
1988	–	Near Threatened

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Eudyptes pachyrhynchus nests on Stewart Island and several of its offshore islands, Solander Island and on the west to south-west coast of the South Island, New Zealand. The population is estimated at 2,500-3,000 breeding pairs, mostly nesting on predator-free islands, and divided into 12 major, fragmented breeding sites with c.100 nests or more⁴. Numbers appear to be declining in some populations, principally those on the mainland where predators have the greatest impact. At Open Bay Island, there was a decline of 33% between 1988 and 1995¹, and at Dusky Sound there were "thousands" of birds in 1900 but only a few hundred in the 1990s⁵. Non-breeding dispersal patterns at sea are largely unknown.
Countries:	Native: New Zealand Vagrant: Argentina; Australia
FAO Marine Fishing Areas:	Native: Pacific – southwest
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	McLean et al. (1997).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It breeds in colonies, situated in dense, temperate rainforest along shores and rocky coastlines, sometimes in sandy bays. It feeds on fish, squid, octopus and krill². It first breeds at 5-6 years old² and birds may live for 10-20 years¹.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The endemic Weka Gallirallus australis has been introduced to several islands where it preys on eggs and chicks - causing up to 38% of egg mortality and 20% of chick mortality on Open Bay Island¹. Other predators include dogs (particularly during moulting when adults are confined to the shore for 20-30 days), cats, stoat Mustela erminea and rats^1,2,3. Birds are disturbed by humans at nest-sites, killed on roads, and may be accidentally captured in set-nets. Marine perturbations can cause substantial changes in prey abundance, and a future rise in sea temperatures could have a similar effect. Squid fisheries potentially compete for food¹. A marine farm is planned for the Jackson's Bay area where 10% of the population of this species is found⁷.

Major Threat(s):

The endemic Weka Gallirallus australis has been introduced to several islands where it preys on eggs and chicks - causing up to 38% of egg mortality and 20% of chick mortality on Open Bay Island¹. Other predators include dogs (particularly during moulting when adults are confined to the shore for 20-30 days), cats, stoat Mustela erminea and rats^1,2,3. Birds are disturbed by humans at nest-sites, killed on roads, and may be accidentally captured in set-nets. Marine perturbations can cause substantial changes in prey abundance, and a future rise in sea temperatures could have a similar effect. Squid fisheries potentially compete for food¹. A marine farm is planned for the Jackson's Bay area where 10% of the population of this species is found⁷.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation actions underway: The Open Bay Island population has been the focus of several recent studies. The Department of Conservation had planned to monitor all colonies for five years followed by five years rest, but, owing to difficulties censusing the species because pairs within colonies are well dispersed under tree-cover, and because disturbance by surveyors was thought to be increasing predation rate, only a selection of colonies are partially monitored every two years. Conservation actions proposed: Survey areas of coastline not included in the 1990s survey. Quantify the effect of predators on island and mainland sites¹. *Eradicate G. australis* from Big Solander Island⁶. Complete a detailed study on foraging ecology to identify potential competition with commercial fisheries and the effects of climatic variation¹. Establish guidelines to control visitor access to colonies. Obtain legal protection for accessible colony sites**⁶.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation actions underway:

The Open Bay Island population has been the focus of several recent studies. The Department of Conservation had planned to monitor all colonies for five years followed by five years rest, but, owing to difficulties censusing the species because pairs within colonies are well dispersed under tree-cover, and because disturbance by surveyors was thought to be increasing predation rate, only a selection of colonies are partially monitored every two years.

Conservation actions proposed:

Survey areas of coastline not included in the 1990s survey. Quantify the effect of predators on island and mainland sites¹. Eradicate G. australis from Big Solander Island⁶. Complete a detailed study on foraging ecology to identify potential competition with commercial fisheries and the effects of climatic variation¹. Establish guidelines to control visitor access to colonies. Obtain legal protection for accessible colony sites⁶.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Eudyptes pachyrhynchus. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 09 February 2010.
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