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Penguins might be the world's most popular bird. There’s something compelling about these comical creatures with their cartoonish looks, amusing antics, and stately disposition.
You may be surprised to learn that New Zealand has more penguin species – and more ways to see them – than anywhere else in the world. Plus, you don't have to travel to an icy tundra to see them. You'll find them on the sand, in the hills, and occasionally in town.
For the record, penguins are a group of flightless aquatic sea birds. They live almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, with just one species (the Galapagos) found north of the equator. So, if you're longing for a superb penguin experience, New Zealand may be your best bet.
While very few accessible travel destinations have penguin populations, New Zealand is home to 13 of the globe's 18 penguin species. Three rare species breed on the mainland.
New Zealand has a wide variety of places and ways to view penguins in their natural habitat. Recently, a pair of little blue penguins were seen on several occasions frequenting a sushi truck right outside of the Wellington railway station.
Here are a few quick facts to help you know your penguins and where to meet them in New Zealand.
Korora / Little Blue Penguin
The little blue penguin is, as its name suggests, little. As the smallest penguin species at 13 inches, the korora weighs around 2 pounds and is common in New Zealand coastal waters. Blue penguins travel 10–45 miles at sea each day and only come ashore under the cover of darkness.
The Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony, on the South Island’s east coast, is an ideal spot to watch these little guys making their nightly pilgrimage from the sea, over the rocks, through their underpass tunnel, and into their nests.
At Blue Penguins Pukekura on Otago Peninsula, join a penguin scientist on their rounds to assist with crucial behind-the-scenes conservation work that contributes to saving this precious feathered population.
Closely related to the little blue penguin, the Canterbury white flippered penguin lives around the Banks Peninsula, near Christchurch.
Hoiho / Yellow-eyed Penguin
Unique to New Zealand, the elegant yellow-eyed hoiho is the world's rarest penguin, with only 4000 known in existence. At less than 30 inches in height, it is one of the largest species.
This species relies on both marine and land environments to survive. On New Zealand’s South Island, around the Otago Peninsula and North Otago, naturalists have created nesting sites and shelters to encourage breeding.
Penguin Place Dunedin takes visitors through a system of covered trenches and into specially designed viewing hides, allowing close-up access to the breeding grounds of the yellow-eyed penguin.
Tawaki / Fiordland Crested Penguin
The Fiordland crested penguin's spiky yellow top knots help them stand out from the crowd. Found only in New Zealand, this penguin frequents southern coastal waters and can be seen around the Catlins (on the Otago / Southland coast), Stewart Island, and in Fiordland.
The tawaki lays two eggs each year but only raises one chick per season. It’s thought that the first egg may be insurance against the failure of the second.
Other Penguin Experiences
Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium in Auckland is home to groups of majestic king and gentoo penguins from Antarctica. Watch them playing in their icy underground domain or take an exclusive on-the-ice-guided encounter to meet these playful locals and pose for photos with them.
In Christchurch, the International Antarctic Centre in Christchurch offers a chilly on-ice Antarctic experience, along with the Penguin Rescue which has a combined indoor/outdoor penguin viewing area with up to 26 little blue penguins. There are two daily feeding times and a VIP backstage pass for a more exclusive experience.
If New Zealand is on your bucket list, we can help plan the perfect vacation for you.
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