This year’s Bird of the Year competition is gaining international attention, with the critically endangered Hoiho (Yellow-Eyed Penguin) taking center stage. With only 131 breeding pairs left on New Zealand’s mainland, the Hoiho faces numerous threats from human activity and climate change, making their survival a top priority for conservationists.
Hoiho populations have been severely impacted by habitat destruction, predation, and marine threats like pollution and overfishing. These penguins, often called “ocean sentinels,” are key indicators of marine ecosystem health, but their vulnerability has grown due to the cumulative effects of these threats.
Efforts to save the Hoiho are being led by Dunedin organizations like the Yellow-Eyed Penguin Trust, Dunedin’s Wildlife Hospital, and OPERA. Their work includes groundbreaking research, rehabilitation, and environmental restoration, with the Wildlife Hospital recently celebrating a world first in incubating and hatching Hoiho eggs.
The campaign to save the Hoiho has garnered support from global figures like Dr. Jane Goodall and former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark. With only two days left in the Bird of the Year competition, the Hoiho is leading, but the race is still close, highlighting the urgency of protecting this iconic species before it’s too late.
