Birds
Erect-crested Penguin
Eudyptes sclateri · also called erect crested penguin
Crowned with stiff, bright yellow crests standing straight upright rather than drooping, an erect-crested penguin has suffered one of the steepest population collapses of any penguin species, its numbers falling by more than 70 percent for reasons still only partly understood.
Overview
The erect-crested penguin, Eudyptes sclateri, is an Endangered seabird native to coastal and ocean habitat on a small number of remote sub-Antarctic islands. Its distinctive upright crest, severe and puzzling population decline, and status as one of the least studied penguin species make it one of the more urgently concerning yet poorly understood seabirds found anywhere in the Southern Hemisphere.
A mystery unfolding on remote islands
Few penguin species have declined as sharply as the erect-crested penguin in recent decades, and the fact that researchers still cannot fully explain why makes this species one of the more pressing unsolved puzzles in Southern Ocean seabird conservation.
Status
Endangered, with populations having declined by more than 70 percent in recent decades for reasons that remain only partly understood.
Erect-crested Penguin: common questions
How does the erect-crested penguin's crest differ from its relatives?
This species has stiff, bright yellow crests that stand straight up from the head rather than drooping to the side, a feature that distinguishes it from closely related crested penguin species with softer, drooping crests.
Why has the erect-crested penguin declined so much?
This species has experienced a population decline of over 70 percent in recent decades, a severe drop whose exact causes remain only partly understood, though changing ocean conditions are suspected to play a major role.
Why is the erect-crested penguin so poorly studied?
This species breeds on a small number of remote, difficult-to-access sub-Antarctic islands, making its population notoriously difficult to survey and study consistently compared with more accessible penguin species.
How many chicks does an erect-crested penguin usually raise?
This species typically lays two eggs per clutch, but under normal circumstances only the larger, second-laid egg usually survives to produce a single fledged chick each breeding season.