Story: Penguins

Eastern rockhopper penguin

Eastern rockhopper penguin

Between the 1940s and the 1980s the population of rockhopper penguins breeding on New Zealand’s Campbell Island decreased by about 94%. Drastic declines have been reported throughout much of the species’ circumpolar subantarctic range. The cause is unknown, but one reason could be the increasing sea-surface temperatures since the Second World War, causing changes to the availability of their prey. Could rockhopper penguins be the harbingers of global warming? Some scientists think so.

Using this item

Private collection
Photograph by Christina Troup

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Lloyd Spencer Davis, 'Penguins - Crested penguins', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/6415/eastern-rockhopper-penguin (accessed 27 April 2024)

Story by Lloyd Spencer Davis, published 12 Jun 2006, reviewed & revised 11 Jul 2016