Royal Penguinロイヤルペンギン

Eudyptes schlegeliLC— Least Concern

The royal penguin is a crested penguin endemic to subantarctic Macquarie Island, closely related to the macaroni penguin but distinguished by its white to pale grey face and chin. It feeds mainly on krill and other crustaceans, foraging widely at sea outside the breeding season. Once hunted heavily for oil, the population has recovered since hunting ended and invasive predators were eradicated from the island; it is currently listed as Least Concern, though it is not kept in any Japanese zoo or aquarium.

Royal Penguin (reference photo)
Photo: M. Murphy / Public domain / Source / cropped

Species Data

Classification
Sphenisciformes / Spheniscidae Source
Distribution
Endemic to subantarctic Macquarie Island and the nearby Bishop and Clerk Islets in the Southern Ocean. Source

Did You Know?

  • Historically hunted for oil, with 150,000 penguins taken annually between 1870 and 1919; the population recovered after hunting was banned. Source
  • Royal penguins lay two eggs but rarely rear chicks from the smaller first egg, showing a strong survival bias toward the larger second-laid B-egg. Source

Distribution and Habitat

How to tell Penguins apart →

This species is not currently recorded at a zoo or aquarium in Japan. Its global habitat is covered in the species record.

Conservation Story

Conservation Status

IUCNレッドリストでは低懸念（LC）に分類され、個体数は約85万つがいと推定される。繁殖地がマッコーリー島に限られる固有種のため、局地的なリスクの高さが指摘されている。

Habitat

南極海のマッコーリー島とその周辺のビショップ島・クラーク島の海岸・草地斜面

Threats

  • 移入されたネズミ・ウサギなど外来種による生息環境の破壊や卵・ヒナの捕食
  • 海洋プラスチック汚染や商業漁業による餌資源の減少
  • かつては油目的の乱獲（1870〜1919年に年間15万羽が捕獲された）

Conservation & Breeding Efforts

  • 2007年からオーストラリア政府がマッコーリー島でネズミ・ウサギなど外来種の根絶事業を実施し、2014年に根絶を達成。営巣地の生態系回復に伴い海鳥の個体数回復が報告されている

Sources

en.wikipedia.org www.antarctica.gov.au

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FAQ

How can you tell a royal penguin from a macaroni penguin?
The royal penguin has a white to pale grey face and chin, while the macaroni penguin's face and chin are black. Source
Where does the royal penguin breed?
It breeds only on subantarctic Macquarie Island and the nearby Bishop and Clerk Islets. Source
Can you see royal penguins in Japan?
No, the royal penguin is not currently kept in any Japanese zoo or aquarium. Source

Source: ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org www.iucnredlist.org