New Zealand Acts Fast to Save World's Rarest Penguin

New Zealand isn't letting its rarest penguin disappear without a fight.

The hoiho, or yellow-eyed penguin, has become the world's rarest penguin species with just 326 birds remaining. But conservationists like Cheryl Pullar, who has dedicated nearly 30 years to protecting these birds, are working harder than ever to turn things around.

The news gets better. In July, New Zealand's Fisheries Minister made a temporary set net ban permanent along the Otago Peninsula, extending roughly eight nautical miles offshore. Since the ban took effect, not a single hoiho has been reported caught in fishing nets this year.

That's a dramatic improvement from recent years, when 18 hoiho died in set nets since 2019. At Sandfly Bay near Dunedin, the last breeding female was killed in a set net in 2024, but the new protections mean future penguins won't face the same fate.

DOC researcher Mel Young is uncovering crucial information about what's happening to the hoiho. Her team hikes into remote bush areas collecting penguin droppings for lab analysis, revealing that the birds' diet has shifted dramatically over 40 years from small fish to 60% blue cod.

Understanding this change helps explain why chicks are struggling. Adult penguins sometimes regurgitate fish larger than their babies can swallow, leading to starvation. But knowing the problem means scientists can develop targeted solutions.

University of Otago researcher Thor Ruru-Elley takes it further with on-bird cameras that show exactly what hoiho face in the ocean. Meanwhile, post-doctoral fellow Eiren Sweetman is investigating how limited food availability makes the birds more susceptible to disease, similar to humans getting sick when rundown.

The Bright Side

Every hoiho matters, and New Zealand is treating them that way. These penguins are incredible parents, swimming 10 to 25 kilometers daily and making up to 200 dives to feed their chicks. The dedication of these birds is matched only by the people fighting to save them.

Forest & Bird conservation manager Chelsea McGaw believes extending the set net ban across the hoiho's entire foraging range could give the species the breathing room it needs. "Either we have set net fishing and we lose the hoiho, or we don't have set net fishing and we give them that chance to recover," she says.

The science is revealing answers. A 2025 University of Otago study found that only 5% of hoiho successfully raise chicks, meaning the population depends on a small number of super-breeders. Protecting even one of these exceptional parents can make a massive difference.

With permanent fishing protections now in place, dedicated researchers solving the food puzzle, and rangers like Pullar refusing to give up, New Zealand is showing the world how to fight for an endangered species.