The ancestors of penguins spent their lives in the sky, but penguins traded flight for life at sea. Their wings evolved into flippers to let them swim with ease. Penguins have denser bones that birds of flight, and waterproof feathers to keep warm in the water.  

Little Penguins are widespread across Australia’s south, south-east, and west coasts. They are also found on New Zealand, though some scientists now recognise these two populations as different species. Breeding colonies around Australia primarily are primarily found on offshore islands, where penguins are free from human disturbance and introduced predators. 

Little Penguin breeding pairs will often mate for life, especially if they are successful in raising a chick - although may find a new partner in following seasons if unsuccessful or if one of the partners does not return to the breeding grounds. A pair will return to the same location and often the same burrow each year, between June and August, and build their nest in September.  

Most people think of penguins as living in cold and icy conditions, however Little Penguins live right on our doorstep, including the beaches and oceans around Sydney. These penguins forage along the coast and throughout Sydney Harbour, with breeding colonies found at Lion Island in Pittwater, Five Islands near Port Kembla, and even on the Manly Headland. The Manly Penguins are NSW’s only mainland colony, with Penguins returning to breed annually.

Taronga works closely with the Office of Environment and Heritage, National Parks and Wildlife, Northern Beaches Council, Manly Environment Centre, and the local community to keep this Endangered colony safe. 

Sick and injured penguins are brought to Taronga’s Wildlife Hospital to be cared for and rehabilitated until they’re fit enough to return to the wild. Around 30 penguins will be cared for in our hospital each year. 

For more than 20 years, Taronga’s Education team have been delivering Project Penguin, a Conservation Education Program for primary school students located around the Manly area. This is done in partnership with Northern Beaches Learning Alliance, NPWS Rangers, Northern Beaches Council, Coastal Environment Centre and NPWS Volunteer Penguin Wardens.

For ten weeks, primary school students and their high school mentors undertake a range of activities to deepen their knowledge of the Little Penguins, threats to the colony and positive actions that we can all take to protect the species. Students then develop their own prototype solutions and create a community awareness campaign focused on protecting this important species.