Despite its small size, this plucky penguin is remarkably adapted to the harsh conditions of its habitat, thriving on a diet of krill and small fish.
Has the Moseley’s rockhopper’s name changed?
Eudyptes Moseleyi is the most recently recognised penguin species as it used to be classed as a subspecies of the southern rockhopper penguin. Although it became officially known as Moseley’s rockhopper penguin in 2006, the name Northern Rockhopper still persists.
How to identify the Moseley’s rockhopper penguin
These penguins have the most flamboyant and longest plumes of all the crested penguins.
The bushy crest starts as a pale yellow stripe over each bright red eye then increases significantly in length and number of plumes.
It has a black back, tail, head and throat with a white front and its feet are pink with black soles and the beak an orange-red.
The smaller, duller juveniles have a very short crest; the chicks are brown and white.
Where does the Moseley’s rockhopper penguin live?
Approximately 90 per cent of Moseley’s rockhopper penguins are found on the archipelago of Tristan da Cunha, a group of volcanic islands in the South Atlantic Ocean. The remaining birds breed in the Indian Ocean on Amsterdam Island and St Paul Island.
Tristan da Cunha is the remotest inhabited archipelago in the world, with only around 250 resident islanders, who all live on the main island. It is about 2,816km (1,750 miles) from South Africa and just over 3,219km (2,000 miles) from South America, and there is no airstrip, so visitors arrive by boat, which is at least a six-day journey from South Africa. To put this into context, it only takes three days to reach the moon.
What is a rockhopper penguin?
They get their name from their unique behaviour on land. While they can slide on their bellies like many other penguins, they rely on their strong, thick-skinned feet and legs to navigate the steep, rocky shores of their breeding islands.
How big is the Moseley’s rockhopper penguin?
55–65cm (21.7–25.6in), 1.6–4kg (3.5–8.8lb) depending on time of year and gender.
Moseley's rockhopper penguin breeding
Moseley’s rockhopper penguins breed in dense, noisy colonies either on boulder-strewn beaches, rocky slopes, in crevices or in dense tussock grass. The males usually return to the colony in late July, with the females following soon after.
Two eggs are laid in early September, 4–5 days apart, with the second egg being larger than the first. Both parents share incubation in shifts, and if both eggs hatch it is the chick from the second, larger egg that is raised. The smaller egg chick usually dies within the first week from starvation and neglect.
The male broods the favoured chick for the first 3–4 weeks while the female provisions it. Once the chick is old enough it is left in a crèche, allowing both parents to forage until it fledges in late December.
What do Moseley’s rockhopper penguins eat?
Moseley’s rockhopper penguins eat mainly krill, squid, octopuses and some small fish.
What are their main predators?
The chicks and eggs are predated by Subantarctic Skuas, while the adults are preyed upon by giant petrels, sharks and subantarctic fur seals.
How many Moseley's rockhopper penguins are there?
Around 413,700 mature individuals and rapidly decreasing.
What are the main threats to Moseley’s rockhopper penguins?
Shortage of food is the primary threat facing moseley’s rockhopper penguins, due to both competition from Subantarctic Fur Seals and increasing sea temperatures, which affect both the quality and availability of prey.
In addition, the threat of oil pollution is ever present.
What’s their Conservation status?
Endangered (IUCN Red List 2020).
Wildlife photographer Ursula Clare Franklin's new book, Mission Penguin, chronicles her journey to capture all 18 penguin species worldwide, from the Galapagos to Antarctica. Available from 24th October, published by Bloomsbury Wildlife.