Genus Eudyptula
Little Penguin
コガタペンギン Eudyptula minor
About
The smallest of all penguins, about 30–40 cm long, with dark indigo-blue plumage. It is the only truly nocturnal penguin on land, arriving at colonies after dusk and leaving before dawn.
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Eudyptula minor
- Also known as
- Fairy Penguin, Blue Penguin
- Conservation status (IUCN)
- Least Concern (LC) — assessed 2020
- Population trend
- Stable
- Population
- About 469,760 breeding adults (as of 2016)
- Length
- about 30–40 cm
- Range
- Endemic to Australia and New Zealand. In Australia it breeds patchily along the southern coast from Western Australia to New South Wales, and in New Zealand it ranges from the Chatham Islands to the mainland, including Stewart Island, but is absent from Fiordland and South Westland.
Where to see the Little Penguin in Japan
FAQ
- Where can I see the Little Penguin in Japan?
- At 3 places listed on PenguinSpot: Adventure World, Tokyo Sea Life Park, Nagasaki Penguin Aquarium.
- Is the Little Penguin endangered?
- It is not threatened. The IUCN Red List classifies it as Least Concern (LC), assessed in 2020.
Sources
We checked the sources below on October 21, 2026.