International researchers have taken an in-depth look at three Aotearoa New Zealand crested penguin species, revealing one is thriving while others face uncertain futures.
Dr Jeff White
Led by the Tawaki Project at the University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, the study provides what is believed to be the most comprehensive look yet at the population genetics of three Aotearoa crested penguin species – tawaki/Fiordland penguins, erect-crested penguins, and Eastern rockhopper penguins.
Published in this week's PLOS One, the findings reveal tawaki are flourishing as a single, healthy population but their subantarctic cousins face worrying declines and fragmented population structures.
Lead author Dr Jeff White, of Cornell University, who has collaborated with Otago throughout his studies, says the study underscores both good and bad news.
"It's encouraging to see tawaki maintaining strong genetic health, which bodes well for their future if we continue to safeguard their marine habitats.
"But the situation for erect-crested and Eastern rockhopper penguins is far more concerning.
"Their genetic isolation and loss of diversity highlight just how urgent it is to understand and address their causes of their ongoing decline."
