What is the smallest penguin in the world?
The little penguin is the smallest penguin in the world, standing about 30 to 33 centimetres tall and weighing around one kilogram. It lives along southern Australia and New Zealand.
Little penguins have slate-blue feathers on their backs and white undersides, which help camouflage them in the water. They are sometimes called fairy penguins in Australia and little blue penguins or kororā in New Zealand.
They spend the day at sea hunting small fish, squid and krill, often diving to about 20 metres. They return to land at dusk in groups, called rafts, to reduce the risk of predators.
Where to see them
Phillip Island in Victoria has the most famous penguin parade, while smaller colonies can be seen at St Kilda, Bicheno and Low Head in Tasmania, Granite Island in South Australia and Penguin Island in Western Australia.
Pairs often reunite in later breeding seasons, and both parents incubate the eggs and feed the chicks, which leave the nest after about eight weeks.
Little penguins can live for over 20 years, though most live less than ten. Threats include foxes, dogs and cats on land, oil spills and fishing line at sea, and changes in food supply caused by warming oceans. Volunteers help by building nest boxes and monitoring colonies.
Did You Know?
Little penguins are the only penguins that breed on mainland Australia.