Tawaki is a collective Māori name for New Zealand’s crested penguins, a group that includes several of the country’s most threatened penguin species. They are facing an uncertain future. Climate change, shifting oceanic productivity, and human activities such as fisheries and pollution pose constant threats. For animals that spend around 80 percent of their lives at sea, the lack of data on where and how they forage remains a critical blind spot in conservation. We cannot protect what we do not understand.

​

Using state-of-the-art GPS tracking and dive-logging technology, the Tawaki Project monitors penguin foraging journeys across a wide range of marine environments - from the continental shelf and fiords of southern New Zealand to the deep, remote waters of the subantarctic. This work is complemented by drone-based surveys that allow colonies in difficult or inaccessible locations to be monitored accurately and with minimal disturbance. Alongside this research, the project places strong emphasis on public engagement and transparency through TawakiCam, which uses live-streamed cameras in remote colonies to allow people to observe penguins in real time. Together, these approaches provide the scientific foundation and public understanding needed for effective marine protection and long-term population management.

​

Your support will provide: 

​

Tracking and Monitoring: Supporting the deployment of biologging technology — including GPS tracking and dive loggers — to understand how penguins use the ocean across New Zealand and the subantarctic.

Field Operations in Remote Regions: Enabling research expeditions to some of the most remote and challenging penguin habitats in the Southern Ocean, from the mainland to New Zealand’s subantarctic islands.

Population Surveys and Data Analysis: Supporting drone-based colony surveys and long-term data analysis that reveal how environmental change affects breeding success, survival, and population trends.

Public Engagement and Education: Helping the team share the story of New Zealand’s crested penguins with the world - for example by keeping TawakiCam on the air - ensuring these rare penguins get the attention and protection they deserve.