You’d be excused for thinking ‘how can an practically tropical island like New Zealand have penguins’, but once once more New Zealand surprises everyone by possessing their own Native Penguin. We get in touch with it ‘HOIHO’ which in Maori signifies ‘noise maker’ due to its rather shrill vocalization. Hoiho is also known as the Yellow-eyed Penguin, which can be discovered along the South East of the South Island, smaller islands off Stewart Island, as properly as Stewart Island itself, and on the Auckland and Campbell Islands of the New Zealand Sub-Antarctic.
The Hoiho is a ‘endangered’ species and a number of conservation programs are in location to safeguard and assist numbers of these wonderful birds climb in the wild. I was lucky adequate to see two Hoiho in the wild for the duration of a current trip to The Catlins in the South Island. Viewing was strictly from a hide developing on the ridge of a cliff overlooking pristine water and a beach. Nicely hidden from view we didn’t have to wait long prior to the initial penguin emerged rather clumsily from the water’s edge and produced its way up the beach exactly where it sat and preened itself. A mere handful of minutes later it was joined by a second Hoiho. We couldn’t think our luck. We had been told there were Hoiho in this region but the usually shy Penguins don’t always arrive on cue and exactly where they are supposed to turn up, so we lowered our voices as we whispered our ‘oohs and aaahs’ at the sight of these wonderful birds. The Hoiho is considered the world’s rarest penguin (with a population of an estimated 4000), and might also be the most ancient of living penguins, so these valuable moments watching these two was really special.
The Hoiho is a relatively massive penguin, about 65-80cm long (26-32 in) and weighs in between five-8 kg based on which time of year it is. Heavier ahead of moulting than afterwards. The males are bigger than the females but each have pale yellow heads, with paler yellow iris. The chin and throat are brownish-black. And off course the distinctive vibrant yellow ‘band’ running from its eyes around the back of the head. The juvenile has a grayer head with no band and their eyes have grey iris (adult plumage is achieved at 14 – 16 months of age).
The Hoiho are relatively extended living penguins, some living to 20 years of age, with the males typically living longer than the female. These birds usually nest in the forest or scrub, among Native Flax and Lupin which are on slopes or in gullies. Sometimes they’ll nest on the shore itself, facing the sea. Though a group of four to six may come ashore with each other, the Hoiho maintain to themselves while nesting and decide on nest web sites out of sight of each other. Pairs type long term partnerships soon after they reach the breeding age of three-4 years. The incubation duties are shared by both adults following the nest website is chosen in August and the eggs are laid in September. Incubation period is amongst 39-51 days and there are generally two eggs. For the 1st six weeks soon after hatching the chicks are guarded in the course of the day by 1 parent although the other is at sea feeding. The foraging adult returns at least every day to feed the chicks and relieve the companion. Following the chicks are six weeks old, both parents will go to sea to supply meals for their off spring who are at this stage developing quickly (but nonetheless covered in brown downy feathers). The chicks generally fledge in Mid February and will be totally independent from that time onwards. The fledglings will weigh amongst five and six kg by then.
The Hoiho will forage in between 7 and 13 km off shore (that is about 4-8 miles) and will travel an typical 17 km away from the nesting website. The birds will leave at dawn and return the exact same evening even though raising chicks but will commit 2-3 days at sea at other times. The average dive is 34 m (112 ft). Their diet is produced up of fish primarily with cephalopods such as arrow squid for a tasty treat, and these penguins will pursues prey in 20-60m deep dives.
An onland reserve guarding more than ten% of the mainland population at Extended Point in The Catlins (South Island) was established in 2007 by the Division of Conservation and the ‘Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust’ and our well-known Hoiho appears on the reverse side of the New Zealand $ 5 note, as properly as in several tv advertisements and print marketing. To see these beautiful and distinctive Hoiho, the Yellow-eyed Penguin in the wild will rank higher up on the ‘most favorite moments’ in the minds of these who have been fortunate sufficient to see them.
About the Author :
Monica Toretto is a writer, painter, photographer and blogger. She lives with her two young sons in Invercargill near Bluff. She has travelled widely in Canada and the US and worked as a veterinary technician just before returning to New Zealand. Her function has appeared in several magazines in the UK and New Zealand. She has also authored a book of poetry and photography known as ‘Words’.
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