Auckland Zoo heads to west coast beaches to conserve little penguins

Auckland Zoo kaimahi are taking weekly trips to the windy west coast to understand more about kororā, the world’s littlest penguin.

These precious and petite penguins are native to the coasts of New Zealand, including Auckland’s west coast beaches – but little is known about their population size, or how the species is faring.

Conservationists need good observational and biometric data, and scientific findings to understand whether little penguin populations are increasing or decreasing over time, and what targeted actions the species might need to help them survive into the future.

Where little penguins live in New Zealand, their population size and threats

These speedy swimmers are known by many names; their Latin name is Eudyptula minor, colloquially they’re called little penguins, little blue penguins, and fairy penguins in Australia, and kororā in te Reo Maori.

Little penguins were once common throughout Aotearoa New Zealand but are surviving best on offshore islands where human disturbance is low. The species is classed as ‘At Risk, Declining’ in the New Zealand Threat Classification system, as their population has not fared well in areas without predator control. Where there is effective predator control and less disturbance, little penguins populations are stable or increasing. 

On the mainland, these social penguins live in smaller colonies of 5-10 nests, whereas bigger offshore islands can support thousands of birds. Dogs are the greatest threats to little penguins, followed by cats, ferrets and stoats. Human and canine presence is high at all west coast beaches, where dog by laws are not widely understood or ignored. Dogs are often present in areas where they are prohibited, and are off-lead in on-lead areas. 

Auckland Zoo staff and community groups are helping little penguin populations

In 2023, Auckland Zoo Bird Keeper Sarah Perinelle set up the Auckland West Coast Kororā Monitoring Programme, and together with Deputy Curator of Mammals Amy Robbins, they created a Zoo monitoring team to improve understanding, protection, and conservation management of kororā across key sites at Karekare, Piha and Te Henga/Bethell’s Beaches.

Observations of little penguin populations at west coast beaches:

• Te Henga has the largest population of little penguins in natural burrows, of all the areas currently surveyed. The majority breed in natural burrows, which makes active nests more difficult to locate and monitor. The site is also extensive, but high numbers of penguin footprints and other signs of activity indicate a significant presence of kororā.
• The Piha colony has the strongest breeding activity, and mostly breed in nest boxes. Sadly, this population also has the highest number of recorded penguin deaths. In 2025, just under half of the penguins autopsied were confirmed to have died from dog attacks.
• The Karekare colony appear to have a smaller population than some of the other monitored west coast sites, using a mix of natural burrows and nest boxes. Numerous kororā footprints have also been observed in the nearby Whatipū Scientific Reserve, although this area is not currently monitored.

There is an established community-led kororā monitoring programme at Muriwai, and our aim is to work closely with them, using the same monitoring protocols and sharing data to build a stronger picture of kororā across Auckland’s west coast.

Our Auckland Zoo monitoring programme takes place in partnership with Te Kawerau ā Maki, brings together local community groups Karekare Landcare Trust, Pest Free Piha and Kororā Te Henga, with support from Auckland Council, private landowners and the Department of Conservation, and technical advice and guidance from the New Zealand Penguin Initiative.

Observing little penguins in the wild is important for their conservation

Sarah and Amy and keepers Jess (ungulates) and Caitlyn (birds) make weekly visits to each site over breeding season and are often accompanied by a representative from iwi Te Kawerau ā Maki, to support mana whenua involvement and kaitiakitanga over this incredible taonga.

The team collect field observations, breeding data and biometric information to build up a longer-term dataset to understand breeding success, population trends, the threats facing kororā, and identify ways these threats can be mitigated.

First, our team will look for signs to determine whether a burrow is occupied by penguins. Once a likely spot is found, a ‘burrowscope’, a three-metre length of hose with a camera on the end (similar to an endoscope) is used to view what is happening within the depths of the burrow. This is a wonderful and non-invasive method for confirming the presence of kororā, as the scope sends the images to a screen at the surface for our experts to view.

“We couldn’t do this work without the support of local community groups. When the penguins start coming ashore at the beginning of the breeding season, the community volunteers help look for footprints and other signs of activity, giving us an idea of where penguins may be establishing burrows,” explains Sarah.

Locating burrows takes investigative work, but the scoping itself can be completed within a quick 15 second window. Zoo staff are very quiet as they carry out the scoping, limiting their movements so as not to disturb the penguins. This work is vital in understanding whether penguins are returning to burrows over consecutive breeding seasons.

Gathering data: weighing and microchipping little penguin chicks

Sarah and Amy, with other Zoo kaimahi, received training in 2024 from Julia Graham of Penguins Plus Consultants, on how to locate penguin burrows, and how to safely and correctly catch and handle birds for health checks and microchipping.

Microchipping wild penguins requires a specific certification, which Sarah has achieved. When penguins start searching for nest sites, this gives the team an opportunity to carry out a health check and microchip them before they lay their eggs.

The microchips give each penguin an individual identification number, allowing the team to recognise the same bird when it is seen again. This helps to track individual birds over time, including where they are nesting, whether they return in subsequent breeding seasons and their breeding success and survival. When combined with information such as weight, age and breeding activity, these records contribute to a better understanding of the health of individual birds and the wider population.

Monitoring starts in July, with microchipping taking place in late October each year, when the chicks have reached approximately 6 weeks old or 650 grams – two weeks before they’ll leave the nest and head out to sea.  

Sarah and Amy were joined by keeper Caitlyn and iwi representative Victoria to check nests again for the 2026 breeding season. On their recent field trip in North Karekare, 11 penguins were sighted with three confirmed nests, and another three suspected nests.

At Karekare beach, one of the chicks was big enough to be weighed and microchipped. Other chicks that were sighted were not yet six weeks old, so our team will be able to weigh and microchip them on their next field trip. 

How observational data on wild little penguins is collected and stored

All collected data is recorded in the New Zealand Penguin Initiative app, which brings together information from monitoring groups across New Zealand to help build a national picture of the species. These observations can include penguin and dog footprints, potential and active nests, microchipped birds, eggs and chicks, as well as dead or injured penguins. Sensitive information, such as nest locations, is not publicly available.

How you can help to protect adult kororā and their chicks at the beach

Sadly, observations from the 2025/26 and 2024/25 breeding seasons show that kororā are dying from dog attacks.

Piha, Karekare and Te Henga, and all our west coast beaches, have designated areas where dogs are restricted or not permitted to help protect wildlife. These restrictions are particularly important during the kororā breeding season, where penguin nests may not be visible to beach goers. At Te Henga, dog-access restrictions can also change going into summer.

“Unfortunately, our Zoo team and the community volunteer groups come across dead penguins each season. The birds look to have been shaken, and we know off leash roaming dogs are a huge threat to penguin populations. We often hear people saying, ‘my dog wouldn’t kill a penguin’ but they don’t have visibility over their dogs when they are roaming off-leash in dunes or in caves,” explains Amy.

Auckland Council employ a seasonal beach patrol Animal Management Officer, who helps educate the public about dog-access restrictions. Following these restrictions and keeping dogs under control can make an important difference to the safety of kororā and their chicks.

We’re encouraging all dog-lovers (both owners and wider whānau) to learn about areas that are restricted, and act accordingly for the future of these wonderful native birds. 

If you’re interested in helping with this project, we are looking for committed locals who are passionate about kororā and have time to take part. There are opportunities to get involved in monitoring and training, especially at Te Henga. Get in touch with us via this form.