The royal penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli) is a type of penguin found only on Macquarie Island and nearby islands in the sub-Antarctic region. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the royal penguin as Least Concern, meaning it is not currently at risk of extinction. The scientific name of the royal penguin honors Hermann Schlegel, a German zoologist.
Description
There has been disagreement about whether royal penguins are a type of macaroni penguin. Some royal and macaroni penguins have been seen mating with each other, but this happens very rarely. In fact, other penguin species have also been known to form pairs with penguins from different species in the wild.
Royal penguins live in the waters around Antarctica. They look similar to macaroni penguins but have white faces and chins instead of the black ones macaroni penguins have. They measure 65–76 cm (26–30 in) long and weigh 5–6 kg (11–13 lb). Males are larger than females. Royal penguins only breed on Macquarie Island and nearby islands. Like other penguins, they spend much of their time in the ocean, where they are believed to be pelagic.
Breeding
Royal penguins build their nests on beaches or on open, grassy areas on hillsides. Like many seabirds, they live in groups and nest in shallow depressions on the ground, sometimes up to one mile away from the ocean. The breeding season starts in September, with eggs being laid in October. Royal penguins usually lay two eggs, but only one often survives. Both parents take turns keeping the egg warm for about 35 days by switching roles every 12 days. After the egg hatches, the male penguin cares for the chick for 2 to 3 weeks while the female searches for food. If the female does not return to the colony, the chick may not survive. When the chick is about one month old, it joins other chicks for warmth and protection. Both parents feed the chicks two to three times each day. At around two months old, the chicks grow their adult feathers and leave the colony to swim in the ocean to find food on their own.
It is common for a female penguin to leave the first egg she laid just one day before laying a second egg. Because of this, the first egg is only half as likely to hatch as the second egg, which is kept by the parent. Scientists do not yet understand why this behavior happens.
Diet
Royal penguins eat krill, small fish, and some squid.
During the breeding season, royal penguins hunt in specific areas near other colonies. This means they share space with other colonies by dividing fishing areas for certain groups, almost preventing competition for food.
Threats
Royal penguins are considered to be at low risk of becoming endangered by the IUCN. They are not protected by the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
In the past, people hunted royal penguins for their oil. Between 1870 and 1919, the government of Tasmania gave licenses for hunting these penguins, with about 150,000 penguins (including royal and king penguins) hunted each year. At the height of the hunting industry in 1905, a processing plant on Macquarie Island handled 2,000 penguins at a time. Each penguin produced about half a liter of oil.
After hunting stopped on Macquarie Island, the number of royal penguin pairs increased to 850,000. Before hunting began, there were about 3 million penguins (including royal and king penguins) on the island.
Today, threats to royal penguins include animals like rats that were brought to the island by humans (cats were also a threat but were removed from Macquarie Island recently). Other dangers include plastic waste, pollution, and less food caused by commercial fishing.