Wildlife

‘Good little diver’
The scientific name of the little (or fairy) penguin – Eudyptula minor – is most descriptive. Not only are these penguins the smallest of the species, but Eudyptula means ‘good little diver’.
The little penguin’s streamlined shape and its efficient flippers enable it to seek prey in shallow short dives, typically between 10 and 30 metres. Its diet consists of small fish, squid, krill (shrimp-like crustaceans) and occasionally crab larvae or sea horses from the sea floor. 

Night-time viewing
Some little penguins return to their burrows year round, but most stay at sea over autumn and winter. Most birds in a colony return to their burrows in small groups within an hour or so of darkness. Groups of penguins gather beyond the surf where they may be heard calling to each other. In large colonies, hundreds of birds may come ashore in a brief time.

Little penguins can be seen in a number of places around Tasmania – including Bicheno, The Neck on Bruny Island, Low Head, Lillicoe Beach in Devonport, Burnie and Stanley – although the majority (up to 95 per cent of the birds) live on offshore islands.

Read more about the little penguin.