Birds
Snares Crested Penguin
Eudyptes robustus · also called Snares penguin
Nesting beneath dense forest canopy rather than open ground, a Snares crested penguin breeds only on a single small island group closed entirely to the public, one of the least disturbed penguin populations found anywhere in the world.
Overview
The Snares crested penguin, Eudyptes robustus, is a Vulnerable seabird native to coastal and ocean habitat on the Snares Islands south of New Zealand. Its extraordinarily restricted single-island breeding range, unusual forest-canopy nesting habitat, and near-total freedom from human disturbance make it one of the more ecologically distinctive and well-protected crested penguin species found anywhere in the world.
A colony almost nobody sees
Protected by its remote location and closed access, the Snares crested penguin lives one of the most undisturbed penguin lives on Earth, nesting beneath forest cover on an island group most people will never have the chance to visit.
Status
Vulnerable, though populations have remained relatively stable in recent decades thanks to the near-total absence of human disturbance and introduced predators at its single breeding site.
Snares Crested Penguin: common questions
Why does the Snares crested penguin nest under forest canopy?
This species typically nests beneath dense forest canopy, an unusual choice compared with the open, exposed ground favoured by many other crested penguin species, offering additional shelter for its breeding colonies.
Where does the Snares crested penguin breed?
This species breeds only on a single small, remote island group entirely closed to public access, making its entire global population dependent on the continued health of this one location.
Why is the Snares crested penguin population considered relatively stable?
This species benefits from an almost complete absence of human disturbance, since its breeding islands remain closed to visitors except for limited scientific research, helping protect it from many threats facing other penguin species.
Does the Snares crested penguin still form large colonies despite nesting in forest?
Yes, this species still forms dense breeding colonies despite nesting beneath forest cover, with individual colonies sometimes numbering in the thousands of breeding pairs.