Science Media Centre

When the Rena grounded off the coast of Tauranga in October 2011, little blue penguins were the most seriously affected native species from the up to 2,500 barrels of spilt oil. In the aftermath of the grounding, 383 oiled little blue penguins were admitted to the oiled wildlife facility for care – of these, 365 […]

The little penguin species (popularly known as little blue penguins) found in southern New Zealand is a surprisingly recent invader from Australia, according to a new study led by University of Otago researchers. The research, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, analysed ancient DNA from the remains of over one hundred […]

Both the New Zealand Herald and Radio New Zealand have today covered the story of a newly identified species of ancient giant penguin, based on fossils found in a old storage shed. An excerpt from the New Zealand Herald (read in full here): A giant ancient penguin far taller than any species alive today has […]

This article, reposted from The Conversation, is based on new research co-authored by Allan Wilson Centre researchers Gabrielle Beans-Picon (Massey University) and Craig D. Millar (University of Auckland). Was penguin evolution driven by a cooling Antarctic? By Sankar Subramanian, Griffith University Penguins are a remarkable group of flightless birds. We tend to think of them […]

Fossils found on the East coast of New Zealand have been used to reconstruct the skeleton of an extinct prehistoric penguin, believed to be far heavier and taller than modern penguins. The giant penguins  stood 1.3 metres tall – 30 cm taller than its nearest modern-day rival, the Emperor Penguin, of Antarctica. With its spear-like […]

In early December 2011 Nine to Noon’s presenter Kathryn Ryan and producer, Caitlin Cherry were invited by Antarctica New Zealand to visit Scott Base on Ross island in Antarctica. You can listen to the resulting podcasts below and on the Radio New Zealand website. Clicking on the links will take you the Radio NZ site […]

A leading Australian researcher, Queensland University ecologist Professor Hugh Possingham, turned the tables on media at a briefing in Auckland today when he quizzed journalists about whether concerns over the loss of penguins in Antarctic and coral reefs closer to the tropics would be enough to stop nations burning the coal which contributes to fossil […]

The hoiho or yellow-eyed penguin, one of our most charismatic native species, was a stranger to New Zealand until just a few hundred years ago, according to research out today from the University of Otago. A newly-discovered penguin species, called the Waitaha penguin, once occupied the yellow-eyed’s range and was forced into extinction by human […]