About Rockhopper Penguins

One of the smallest-sized species of penguins, Rockhopper penguins can be found in aquariums around the world and are much loved by tourists for their unique look and distinguished brow. They are named Rockhopper penguins because they "hop" amongst the rocks on the shorelines where they are found. Although they were once a thriving species, their numbers have declined greatly over the past few decades.

  1. Time Frame

    • Rockhopper penguins, on average, live up to the age of 10 years. They are mostly found on rocky shorelines where they feed on lantern fish, small crustaceans (like krill) and squid. They depart from their breeding colonies in late summer or early fall and seek food for three to five months at sea. They return to the same breeding ground and the same nests, which they refurbish year after year.

    Identification

    • The most distinguishing characteristic of Rockhopper penguins are their bright yellow "eyebrows". Rockhopper penguins have yellow plumage across the brow with red eyes and a reddish-brown bill. The average weight is 2.5 Kg, and they are typically around 55 cm (21.65 in.) long. Males and females are nearly identical in appearance, though males are typically slightly larger than the female penguins. They are small, aggressive but social birds who live on rocky shorelines. Their colonies are often smaller than that of other penguin species, but they are rarely seen alone.

    Types

    • There are three types of Rockhopper penguin: the Southern Rockhopper (Eudyptes chrysocome chrysocome), the Eastern Rockhopper (Eudyptes chrysocome filholi) and the Northern Rockhopper (Eudyptes chrysocome moseleyi). There are an estimated 650,000 breeding pairs of the Southern type, 800,000 pairs of the Eastern type and 350,000 pairs of the Northern types.

    Geography

    • Rockhoppers are found in three regions, from which the common names of the species types are derived. Southern Rockhoppers are found in the Falkland Islands and along the coasts of Argentina and Chile. The Eastern Rockhoppers are found on Marion, Prince Edward, Crozet, Kerguelen, Heard, MacDonald, Macquarie, Campbell, Antipodes and Auckland Islands and Northern Rockhoppers are found on Tristan de Cunha, Gough, St. Paul and Amsterdam Islands. The presence of Rockhoppers in the Falkland Islands has greatly contributed to the tourism in that area.

    History

    • Over the past 30 years, Rockhopper penguins have undergone a large population decline. Their population in the Falkland Islands has decreased from 2.5 million breeding pairs in 1984 to roughly 300,000 today. The species is currently classified as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and, if the decline continues, they will be added to the endangered species list in the near future. Commercial fishing has been the biggest threat to Rockhoppers as it decreases the amount of available prey.