New Zealand is known for its diverse flora and fauna—particularly, their myriad of colorful birds that call this island nation home. Once a year, one of these hundreds of species is crowned as Bird of the Year, spotlighting the animal to a wider audience. In 2024, the hoiho, or yellow-eyed penguin, emerged victorious in this fan-voted competition.
The Bird of the Year competition is run by Forest & Bird, an environmental organization that specializes in the protection and conservation of New Zealand's indigenous plants and animals, as well as natural ecosystems. The competition made international headlines in 2023, when comedian John Oliver launched a global campaign to help the pūteketeke (Australasian crested grebe) win the competition—which it did by with a landslide victory and record donations for conservation efforts.
This time, the endangered hoiho was not backed by an international comedian, but by a grassroots effort led by the Tūhura Otago Museum in the city of Dunedin. It also earned endorsements from Dr. Jane Goodall and former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark. With this, the “people's penguin” as it has been nicknamed, won the competition for the second time after also being named Bird of the Year in 2019.
The hoiho is considered one of the world's rarest penguins. Known for its distinctive pale yellow eyes and matching feathers, it has a reserved, shy demeanor. However, its attention-grabbing call earned it a te reo Māori name that means “noise shouter.” It is found primarily on New Zealand's South and Chatham Islands, as well as the sub-Antarctic Auckland Islands.
Sadly, Forest & Bird considers the hoiho to be “in serious trouble.” Most concerning, over the past 15 years, hoiho populations have plummeted by 78%, with an alarming 18% decline in the last year alone. Among the challenges this species faces are introduced species, diseases, and habitat destruction.
“Yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho) are disappearing before our eyes. They are one of the rarest penguins in the world with just 1,700 pairs remaining,” Forest & Bird writes. “If nothing is done to reverse current declines, scientists predict they could be extinct on mainland New Zealand within 10-20 years.” With a little luck, this title will get more people and institutions involved in the protection of this unique bird.
To learn more about this and all the other birds in the competition, you can visit the Forest & Bird website.
The hoiho, or yellow-eyed penguin, has been named New Zealand's 2024 Bird of the Year.
Known for its distinctive pale yellow eyes and matching feathers, the hoiho has a reserved, shy demeanor.
“Yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho) are disappearing before our eyes. They are one of the rarest penguins in the world with just 1,700 pairs remaining,” Forest & Bird, which runs the contest, writes.
Bird of the Year: Website
h/t: [DesignTAXI]
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