Three of the world's smallest penguins have been found dead after being attacked by a dog in New Zealand.
The penguins, known as kororā or little blue penguins, were attacked at the Evans Bay Marina in Wellington, where they had been nesting.
The species has seen huge population declines due to predation by dogs, cats, ferrets and stoats, and are protected in New Zealand under its Wildlife Act.
The penguins' nesting boxes had recently been fenced off from the public, and a sign had been put up warning that dogs should be kept on their leashes. One witness saw an unleashed dog near the nesting boxes, and heard the penguins being attacked by the dog.
"The saddest part is these penguins' deaths were completely avoidable if people simply followed the rules," Angus Hulme-Moir, New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC) operations manager for Kapiti-Wellington, said in a statement.
"There is a whole community who are deeply upset by the deaths of these kororā."
Little blue penguins are native to the coastlines of southern Australia—where they are called fairy penguins—and New Zealand. The tiny birds are the smallest species of penguin, measuring only 10 inches tall and weighing about 2.2 pounds.
They usually breed in colonies, with both parents sharing the responsibility of incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks. The penguins create nests in burrows, caves, or under rocks between May and June, and also are stuck ashore for a two-week period between November and March when they molt their waterproof feathers and therefore cannot swim.
They were once common across the New Zealand coast, but have seen large population declines on the mainland, so are mostly seen on islands offshore. They are threatened by predation, as well as the clearance of traditional nesting sites due to coastal development, and are occasionally hit by cars or boats.
"Since December 2023, of those reported to DOC, a total of eight penguins have been confirmed as being killed by dogs. A further seven birds were unconfirmed as to the cause of death, but sustained injuries consistent with dog attacks," the department said in the statement.
The three recently killed penguins were part of an established colony, and were being monitored by Places for Penguins volunteers. All three kororā were microchipped.
Dog owners who break the rules around penguin colonies may be fined or prosecuted, and a dog that is found in a controlled dog area without a permit could be seized or put down.
"These are beautiful birds whose habitat and home we share, and an easy way for us to do this is to leash dogs in designated areas. If you are unsure about dog access in a particular area, check with the nearest local council or DOC office or before you set out," Hulme-Moir said.
"There are plenty of areas where dogs are allowed to remain unleashed, where they don't pose a risk to wildlife; if you want to keep your dog off leash, just go there instead."
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