Tawaki / Fiordland Crested Penguins are endemic to Aotearoa and are the only crested penguin to breed on mainland New Zealand, from Bruce bay to Stewart Island. They are one the rarest and least studied penguins in the world. In David Attenborough’s words “It’s shy and mysterious. The jungle penguin” this makes nests incredibly hard to find and monitor which is why we know so little about these birds.

Tawaki are classified as at risk: declining in the New Zealand threat classification system and there is an apparent population decline of up to 7%. DOC and the Tawaki Project aim to monitor and update the number of Tawaki nests at key breeding sites in Fiordland, allowing us to better assess their population trends in Fiordland.

Please help us raise the rest and protect this declining species.