Some penguins feel rare because of their number. Snares penguins feel rare because of their map. Almost the entire species is concentrated in the Snares Islands south of New Zealand.
About 50,000 mature individuals is not a tiny number. But pull the view back and the circle is small.
Snares penguins are New Zealand crested penguins, about 50 to 70 cm tall and 2.5 to 4 kg in weight, with bright yellow brow crests. They often nest under woody vegetation or near coastal rocks, using the island’s cover and terrain.
The islands have long lacked large introduced mammalian predators, which can make the story sound safer than it is. The species is listed as Vulnerable because the range is so concentrated.
Pressure on a narrow map
One extreme weather event, disease outbreak, or marine accident could hit a large share of the population at once. The risk does not need to happen often. For such a concentrated species, once may be enough.
Their life is complete: going to sea, returning to the nest, raising chicks, molting. The issue is that this full life depends on a very small stage.
When the whole island rhythm fits in one place, every quiet year is more fragile than it looks.
