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Penguin

SPECIES: Eudyptula minor

The smallest of all penguin species, the Little Penguin is an adorable bird, standing at 40-45cm tall and weighing up to 1kg. Their head, neck, back, rump and tail feathers are a glossy dark-blue, and the chin, throat, chest and abdomen are white. The flippers are dark-blue on top and white underneath with a grey ‘smudging’ at the tips, and the beak is leaden-black.

Diet

Little Penguins will dive an average of 5-20m to find food. They most commonly feed on pilchards, anchovies, red cod, barracouta and squid.

Social organisation and Reproduction

Little Penguins live in colonies that can have hundreds of members ashore at one time. From June-August, males will come ashore and renovate old burrows or dig new ones. They will perform loud courting displays for arriving females, who will join them in a courtship display in which both birds will stand erect with their flippers spread out and heads bowed, walking in tight circles around the nesting site. Once a pair has formed and mated, 2 eggs will be laid in the burrow. Both males and females will incubate the eggs, with the non-incubating partner hunting for food. Chicks hatch after an incubation period of 33-37 days. By 3 weeks of age, chicks are old enough to remain in the burrow by themself, being fed regurgitated fish from their parents. At 7-11 weeks of age, chicks develop their waterproof feathers and begin learning to swim.

Did you know?

  • Derivation: eudyptula= little diver; minor= smaller.
  • Little Penguins only cross the beach at sunset, to avoid predators.
  • Little Penguins have a gland at the base of their tail which produces a water-proofing oil for their feathers.
  • The colony of Little Penguins in Manly, New South Wales is listed as Endangered.

Why are they endangered?

  • Habitat destruction and vegetation removal
  • Feral animal predation
  • Human interference with nest sites
  • Pollution
FIND OUT MORE
OUR ANIMAL FAMILY
ANIMAL FACTS

Penguin

GROUP NAME

Rookery, colony or huddle

Native To

SIZE

40-45cm tall and weighing up to 1kg

BABY NAME

Nestling or Chick

Habitat

On land, Little Penguins inhabit rocky coastal areas and islands with vegetated sand dunes and crevices in cliff-bases. In water, Little Penguins inhabit warm seas ranging from 13-20°C.

Did You Know?

The deepest recorded dive by a Little Penguin is 72m.

MEET OUR

ANIMAL FAMILY

Kookaburra

Laughing Kookaburras are very territorial and sedentary, usually living in small family groups which co-operate in raising young and protecting territory

Penguin

Little Penguins live in colonies that can have hundreds of members ashore at one time. From June-August, males will come ashore and renovate old burrows or dig new ones.

Wombat

Common Wombats are a short, robust marsupial native to south-east Australia and Tasmania

Lorikeet

Calling all bird lovers to our walk through Lorikeet enclosure. Enjoy our stunning Lorikeets flying around and possibly even landing on you!

Dingo

Dingoes do not bark as is the case with domestic dogs. The alpha male and female will usually be the only breeding pair in the pack, with other subordinate members assisting in the rearing of pups.

Koala

Koalas are not a bear, but are in fact a marsupial. Koalas have thick fur that ranges from very light to very dark grey on the head and body, with white patching on the bottom, chest and ears.

Red Tailed Black Cockatoo

Red-tailed Black-cockatoos are usually found in pairs, small flocks or large, noisy flocks. During the breeding season, which varies according to geographic location, males will strut across perches with their tails fanned out and their crests up to attract females.

Echidna

Short-beaked Echidnas belong to a unique group of mammals called Monotremes. Apart from echidnas, the only other animal in the world that belongs to this group is the Platypus.

Kangaroo Island Kangaroo

Like other Kangaroo species, Kangaroo Island Kangaroos live in mobs consisting of a dominant male, several adult females and subordinate males, and joeys.

Tasmanian Devil

Tasmanian Devils are primarily solitary animals, living in territories that may intersect other individual’s territories. Each territory will have 3-4 dens, which can be utilised for years, especially by females with young.

Emu

Emus are the world’s second tallest bird, and third heaviest. They are a flightless species- however they do have small wings which they use to cool themselves.

Quokka

Often called “the happiest animal in the world”, Quokkas are a small marsupial related to Kangaroos

Cassowary

Southern Cassowaries are solitary birds, coming together only during breeding season from July-September

Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby

Yellow-footed Rock-wallabies live in colonies of up to 100 individuals, consisting of smaller groups with a dominant male, females and sub-dominant males.

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