Penguins are one of the world's oldest and most specialized bird families, but will New Zealand's Hoiho (Maori name for the Yellow-eyed penguin) be able to survive the loss of its habitat, predation, the disturbance by humans and livestock, and recurring food shortages?

The Hoiho is not a colonial penguin. Instead of crowding together like most other penguins, in teeming, noisy colonies with little more than waddling space between nests, the Hoiho requires the privacy of secluded nests, separate from other pairs. The Hoiho is traditionally a penguin of the forest. In contrast to the barren tracts of rock, snow and ice where the majority of penguins gather to breed, this unusual penguin needs a cool, shady habitat.

This peaceful, trusting penguin evolved in a land free of predators. The Hoiho had no need to develop the defense strategies and communal habits so essential to the survival of its colonial relatives.

The adult Hoiho comes ashore to its breeding area every day throughout the year. Most penguins disperse to feed, returning to their colonies only for the breeding season.

The Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust has joined the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society, the World Wildlife Fund NZ and the Department of Conservation in initiating measures to help:

• Protect existing forest habitat
• Establish reserves
• Fence and revegetate breeding areas
• Study and control predators
• Fund research to further identify penguin conservation needs
• Increase penguin public awareness

The job has just begun. You can help by joining the Trust or sending a donation to :

The Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust
PO Box 5409, Dunedin, New Zealand
telephone (03) 4790011
fax (03) 4790019

A trip to Antarctica is wonderful, but some penguins can be seen closer to home. Little Blue Penguins can be found in many parts of Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand also offers Yellow-eyed and Fiordland Penguins and the controversial White-flippered Penguin. Its nearby islands offer even more penguin species. Blackfooted Penguins can be seen on the suburban beaches of Cape Town in South Africa, Humboldt Penguins on the beaches of Chile and Peru, Magellanic Penguins in southern Argentina and Chile, and of course, there are the Galapagos Penguins.

For information on Penguin expeditions, contact:

• Quark Expeditions (800) 356-5699, www.quark-expeditions.com
  
  
• Zegrahm & Eco Expeditions (800) 628-8747, www.zeco.com
  
  
• Abercrombie & Kent (800) 323-7308, www.abercrombiekent.com
  
  
• Society Expeditions (800) 548-8669, www.societyexpeditions.com
  
  
• Marine Expeditioners Club (416) 964-9069