The first Seabird of the year poll is underway and the Trust is campaign manager for the Fiordland crested penguin or tawaki!
Our tawaki project page will be published soon but in the meantime, this is why the Fiordland crested penguin is so special and deserves your vote in the poll – and if you agree, go here to vote: Seabird of the year 2014 poll.
They are Nationally Endangered, increased from Nationally Vulnerable in 2013 and listed as Vulnerable on the 2012 IUCN red list.
They live in our region, in South Westland and are twice as big as our other penguin, the blue penguin.
They have the coolest stripe, which extends into a magnificent crest.
They are the only crested penguin to inhabit the main islands and coasts of New Zealand.
They lay two eggs, but single-mindedly focus on the larger second egg.
They have also been variously known as Fiordland penguin, New Zealand crested penguin, pokotiwha, New Zealand penguin, thick-billed penguin and even Victoria penguin, having occasionally got lost and been seen in Victoria, Australia!
They are reported, by NZ Birds online, to be declining due to threats including fisheries bycatch, introduced predators, and human disturbance.
What are you waiting for? Give your vote to our handsome tawaki here: Seabird of the year 2014 poll!
