Megadyptes antipodes

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	Sphenisciformes	Spheniscidae

Scientific Name:

Megadyptes antipodes

Species Authority:

(Hombron & Jacquinot, 1841)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Yellow-eyed Penguin

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Endangered B2b(iii)+c(iv) ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

BirdLife International

Evaluator/s:

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

Justification:
This species is confined to a small range when breeding, its forest/scrub habitat has declined in quality and it has undergone extreme fluctuations in numbers. The area it occupies when breeding has been shown to be sufficiently small to confer Endangered status. However, the decline in habitat quality may have halted, and is likely to begin to improve because of ongoing conservation measures, suggesting that the species could be downlisted in the future.

History:

2007	–	Endangered
2005	–	Endangered
2004	–	Endangered
2000	–	Endangered
1994	–	Vulnerable
1988	–	Threatened

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Megadyptes antipodes breeds in New Zealand on the South Island's south-east coast (470 pairs), Foveaux Strait and Stewart Islands (220-400 pairs in 1994, dropping to 178 pairs in 1999-2001¹⁵), Auckland Islands (520-570) and Campbell (405 pairs) Islands¹⁶. Two severe mortality events in 1986 and 1990 each halved the number of South Island pairs and in 2004 50% of chicks in South Island were killed by diptheritic stomatisis¹⁶. However, numbers have recovered to 1980 levels¹⁶. The Catlins population may have declined by 75% since the 1940s^2,9. Numbers of individuals on Campbell Island declined between 1987 and 1998¹⁰. Adults are sedentary, but juveniles disperse north as far as the Cook Strait³.
Countries:	Native: New Zealand
FAO Marine Fishing Areas:	Native: Pacific – southwest
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	Moore (1992), Taylor (2000)
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	On islands, it usually nests in forest, while in the South Island, it tends to nest in scrub remnants³. Nests must have surrounding vegetation that conceals them from visual contact with conspecifics for successful breeding⁶. It feeds primarily on red cod, opal fish, sprat and squid⁸. Generation time is 5-7 years¹.
Systems:	Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Habitat degradation is ongoing in the South Island, but has been curtailed to a significant extent. Introduced ferret Mustela furo, stoat M. erminea and cats are major predators in the South Island and on Stewart Island, as demonstrated by the paucity of juveniles there¹⁵. Predators are also present in all main breeding colonies on the islands (except Campbell Island), but their impact is unknown³. Rogue female Hooker's sea lions eat 20-30 birds annually on the Otago Peninsula¹³. Population crashes may be due to avian malaria, or biotoxins¹⁴, and food shortages due to sea temperature changes may also be a periodic problem⁷. Disease appears to be a major problem in some populations with diptheritic stomatisis (caused by the bacteria Corynebacterium amycolatum) and a Leucocytozoon blood parasite (formerly only known from Fiordland penguins) major causes of mortality for chicks^17,18. Human disturbance, even from tourists at breeding colonies, negatively affects fledging weight and probability of survival¹¹. Drowning in fishing nets and accidental fires are additional known threats⁵.

Major Threat(s):

Habitat degradation is ongoing in the South Island, but has been curtailed to a significant extent. Introduced ferret Mustela furo, stoat M. erminea and cats are major predators in the South Island and on Stewart Island, as demonstrated by the paucity of juveniles there¹⁵. Predators are also present in all main breeding colonies on the islands (except Campbell Island), but their impact is unknown³. Rogue female Hooker's sea lions eat 20-30 birds annually on the Otago Peninsula¹³. Population crashes may be due to avian malaria, or biotoxins¹⁴, and food shortages due to sea temperature changes may also be a periodic problem⁷. Disease appears to be a major problem in some populations with diptheritic stomatisis (caused by the bacteria Corynebacterium amycolatum) and a Leucocytozoon blood parasite (formerly only known from Fiordland penguins) major causes of mortality for chicks^17,18. Human disturbance, even from tourists at breeding colonies, negatively affects fledging weight and probability of survival¹¹. Drowning in fishing nets and accidental fires are additional known threats⁵.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation actions underway: A wide range of research projects has been completed in the South Island. The Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust was formed to raise awareness and funds. Many mainland sites have been fenced to minimise trampling by farm stock. Predator trapping is intensive during the breeding season in several South Island sites, and habitat is being restored^1,2. Conservation actions proposed: Obtain accurate census and distribution data for Auckland Islands. Census South Island colonies every five years, and study sites annually⁷. Eradicate predators from Auckland Islands. Investigate the impact of commercial fishing activity on Yellow-eyed Penguins (set-netting and because of evidence that bottom disturbance by trawling/dredging may influence penguin behaviour and food quality). Regulate tourist access to breeding colonies on South Island.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation actions underway:

A wide range of research projects has been completed in the South Island. The Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust was formed to raise awareness and funds. Many mainland sites have been fenced to minimise trampling by farm stock. Predator trapping is intensive during the breeding season in several South Island sites, and habitat is being restored^1,2.

Conservation actions proposed:

Obtain accurate census and distribution data for Auckland Islands. Census South Island colonies every five years, and study sites annually⁷. Eradicate predators from Auckland Islands. Investigate the impact of commercial fishing activity on Yellow-eyed Penguins (set-netting and because of evidence that bottom disturbance by trawling/dredging may influence penguin behaviour and food quality). Regulate tourist access to breeding colonies on South Island.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Megadyptes antipodes. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 07 November 2009.
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