Editing Little penguin (section)

== Conservation ==
''[[Eudyptula]]'' species are classified as "at risk - declining" under New Zealand's [[Wildlife Act 1953]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wildlife Act 1953 No 31 (as at 02 August 2019), Public Act Contents – New Zealand Legislation |url=http://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1953/0031/latest/DLM276814.html |access-date=2020-05-28 |website=legislation.govt.nz}}</ref>
Overall, little penguin populations in New Zealand have been decreasing. Some colonies have become extinct, and others continue to be at risk.<ref name="penguins-cl">{{cite web |last=Dann |first=Peter |title=Penguins: Little (Blue or Fairy) Penguins - Eudyptula minor |url=http://www.penguins.cl/little-penguins.htm |access-date=25 November 2011 |publisher=International Penguin Conservation Work Group}}</ref> Some new colonies have been established in urban areas.<ref name="pengsent">{{cite web |last=Grabski |first=Valerie |year=2009 |title=Little Penguin - Penguin Project |url=http://mesh.biology.washington.edu/penguinProject/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111216162812/http://mesh.biology.washington.edu/penguinProject/Little |archive-date=16 December 2011 |access-date=25 November 2011 |publisher=Penguin Sentinels/University of Washington}}</ref> The species is not considered endangered in New Zealand, with the exception of the white-flippered subspecies found only on [[Banks Peninsula]] and nearby [[Motunau Island]]. Since the 1960s, the mainland population has declined by 60-70%; though a small increase has occurred on Motunau Island. A colony exists in [[Wellington]] Harbour on [[Matiu / Somes Island]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/wellington-kapiti/places/matiu-somes-island/nature-and-conservation/ |title=Matiu/Somes Island - Nature and conservation |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website=Department of Conservation |publisher=New Zealand Government |access-date=3 November 2023 |quote=}}</ref>
[[File:Penguin crossing MRD.jpg|thumb|upright|Traffic sign warning of little penguins crossing on the [[West Coast Region|West Coast]] of New Zealand]]
Protestors have opposed the development of a marina at Kennedy Point, [[Waiheke Island]] in New Zealand for the risk it poses to little penguins and their habitat.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Police arrest three at Waiheke Island marina protest|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/police-arrest-three-at-waiheke-island-marina-protest/N3XGJRTL4ST6JX347BVLX3TNSM/|access-date=2021-06-17|website=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=28 May 2021 |language=en-NZ}}</ref> Protesters claimed that they exhausted all legal means to oppose the project and have had to resort to occupation and non-violent resistance. Several arrests were made for trespassing.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-06-17|title=Arrests at Waiheke's Kennedy Point as fight to protect penguins escalates|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300335223/arrests-at-waihekes-kennedy-point-as-fight-to-protect-penguins-escalates|access-date=2021-06-17|website=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |language=en}}</ref> Construction of the marina was upheld by the Environment Court in 2012 and completed in 2022. Since the completion of the construction, little penguin burrows have still been found in the area, as well as one dead little penguin on the boat ramp there.<ref>{{cite web |title=Waiheke Kennedy Point marina development |url=https://www.doc.govt.nz/news/issues/waiheke-kennedy-point-marina-development/ |website=[[Department of Conservation (New Zealand)|Department of Conservation]] |publisher=New Zealand Government |access-date=23 December 2024 |language=en-nz}}</ref>

The West Coast Penguin Trust and DOC have worked in collaboration to maintain data on penguin mortality, the West Coast South Island colonies are highlighted as one of the ''Eudyptula minor'' colonies currently facing decline<ref>Braidwood, J., Kunz, J., & Wilson, K. J.(2011). Effect of habitat features on the breeding success of the blue penguin(Eudyptula minor) on the West Coast of New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Zoology,38(2), 131–141.</ref> The data shows highest level of penguin mortality is caused by roadkill, likely due to many of the colonies being close to coastal highway. To mitigate this issue, a penguin-proof fence was erected in 2019 across 3.3&nbsp;km of highway where road kill was most prevalent, no roadkill deaths have been recorded since its implementation <ref name="Mattern"/>

The risk of fire damage to habitats in Philip Island has been partially mitigated through the planting of fire-resistant indigenous vegetation in and around the nesting sites. Thus far this planting has occurred primarily in the <10% of the colony most visible from tourist look-out points <ref name="Dann"/>

In New South Wales, ''Eudyptula minor'' was listed as an endangered species in 1997 under the Endangered Species Act 1995. Since then conservation efforts such as public education, nest monitoring and labelling it as "critical habitat" were implemented. Despite these efforts, this mainland colony was met with additional challenges from threats from wild dogs and foxes, to lack of available local prey. The species is now listed as at-risk declining under the same act.<ref>Priddel, D., Carlile, N., & Wheeler,R. (2008). Population size, breeding success and provenance of a mainland colony of LittlePenguins (Eudyptula minor). Emu - Austral Ornithology, 108(1), (35–41.)</ref>