This penguin is unique to Auckland Island in the New Zealand Sub-Antarctic. This area of the world is known as the Galapagos of the South, because each island is home to a unique sub-species of penguin. So, although there are a number of types of crested penguin, the Rock Hopper is only found on this Island and it is smaller (and therefore more agile) than other crested penguins on nearby islands. This is an advantage on Auckland Island, where small caves and crevasses on the rocky shoreline provide the only shelter in a rough environment.
Rock-hopper penguin
