The
Timid Yellow-eyed penguins
Because of the distinctive
face markings as well as an unusual yellow-eyed colour, we called
them the YELLOW-EYED PENGUINS. Their habitat is in New Zealand.
When adult, the crown of the head, the sides of the face and the
chin are all pale yellow. Each feather here has a black streak
down the centre. There is a broad yellow band extending from the
base of the bill, around the eyes to the back of the head.
Why are
they extinct?
Nowadays, many coastal
forests have been damaged. Yellow-eyed penguins are forced to
nest in gullies or on hills that face the sea. These nest sites
offer no shelter from the hot sun. As a result, they suffer a
lot from heat stress, especially during the breeding season. When
they are not looking after chicks, they sleep on land in the cool
of the night and go to sea by day.
Moreover, many are
killed by accident. Fish nets cause lots of problems that the
penguins may be tangled up in the nets and drown because they
can't swim to the surface to breathe.
What have
we done to protect them?
Conservation groups
are working hard to protect yellow-eyed penguins. Large nest boxes
placed in suitable areas encourage more penguins to nest, by providing
shelter and protection from the heat of sun. |