The Yellow-eyed Penguin, known by its Māori name Hoiho, is one of the world’s rarest penguin species. The entirety of its habitat and breeding range is confined to the New Zealand coastlines and its associated Subantarctic islands. Consequently, the Hoiho is endemic, meaning it naturally occurs nowhere else on Earth.
Primary Habitat: New Zealand Coastlines
The most accessible and well-known part of the Yellow-eyed Penguin’s range is along the southeastern coast of New Zealand’s South Island. The largest concentration of the mainland population is found on the Otago Peninsula, a region that has become closely associated with the species.
Further south, the coastal stretch known as the Catlins also supports a significant population of Hoiho. Additionally, a smaller northern population resides on Stewart Island (Rakiura) and its adjacent islands.
The mainland and Stewart Island groups collectively form the northern population, which has experienced substantial decline in recent decades. This population is genetically distinct from its southern counterparts and is closely monitored by scientists and conservationists.
Remote Colonies: Subantarctic Islands
The Yellow-eyed Penguin maintains a significant presence on the remote Subantarctic Islands, which are largely protected nature reserves. The largest portion of the global population resides in these isolated locations, particularly on the Auckland Islands and Campbell Island.
The Auckland Islands, located approximately 500 kilometers south of the mainland, are considered a stronghold for the species. These distant groups hold a genetically important reservoir, as very little movement or gene flow occurs between them and the mainland birds.
Essential Nesting Environments
Unlike many other penguin species that form dense, open rookeries, the Hoiho requires a highly specific micro-habitat for nesting. They seek out dense coastal vegetation, such as native scrubland or mature coastal forest, to establish their breeding sites. This preference for thick cover provides necessary shelter from predators and offers shade for regulating body temperature.
The Yellow-eyed Penguin’s nesting behavior is solitary, with pairs choosing sites that are visually isolated from their nearest neighbors. They select well-concealed spots, often beneath the roots of trees or within thick flax bushes, ensuring a high degree of lateral concealment. The location must also allow for undisturbed access between the nest site and the sea, which limits their distribution to areas where this specific terrestrial habitat remains intact near the coast.