C O N S E R V AT I O N
MUCH TO TREASURE
I N T H E S O U T H AT L A N T I C On one of the world’s more remote islands, the rockhopper penguin is in decline. Gavrielle Kirk-Cohen discovers how RZSS is using its penguin expertise to save the species from extinction
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n the far South Atlantic Ocean lies the most address the causes for this drop in numbers. remote inhabited archipelago in the world, RZSS is playing a key role in tackling this decline, Tristan da Cunha, which is home to the northern helping to improve our understanding of the rockhopper penguin, or ‘Pinnamin’ as they are northern rockhopper as well as investigating what known to the local Tristan islanders. can be done to save the species from extinction. A real icon of the region – not to mention One of the smallest species of penguin in the world, Edinburgh Zoo – the species has made its home on the northern rockhopper is listed as endangered on the active volcanic island and surrounding smaller the IUCN Red List – clear recognition of the plight islands for generations; however, over facing this iconic flightless bird. the past few decades, more than four Through Project Pinnamin, RZSS million birds have been lost across and our project partners will create Tristan da Cunha and the Gough a conservation action plan that will Islands, roughly 90 per cent of the identify key conservation measures total population, which is now required to protect northern estimated to be about 265,000 rockhopper penguins globally. breeding pairs. We will also produce educational The exact cause is something materials that will be used to of a mystery. One issue is that educate the public both on Tristan, Tristan islanders traditionally in Edinburgh and through the gather penguin eggs to supplement wider zoo community in Europe The rockhopper is their diet. Others include decreasing and the United States. endangered in food supplies as a result of commercial Head of Conservation Programmes the wild fishing, the growing population of suband Science at RZSS, Sarah Robinson, Antarctic fur seals, predation, and pollution explains: “Project Pinnamin aims to improve from ecotourism. our understanding of northern rockhopper However, due to limited knowledge of the species’ penguins. We hope to use our existing knowledge marine distribution and its habitat requirements, it of the species, alongside further research, to create has so far proved difficult to pinpoint and therefore a comprehensive conservation action plan that will
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