Whenua Hou diving petrel, Whenua hou diving-petrel
The Whenua Hou diving-petrel (Pelecanoides georgicus whenuahouensis ) is a highly endangered subspecies of the South Georgia diving petrel that is endemic to New Zealand.
The subspecies was first described by Johannes H. Fischer and collaborators in 2018. While formerly considered a unique population of the South Georgia diving petrel, differences in habitat preference and analyses of phenotypic differentiations indicates that it could be considered as a distinct species. Only one extremely small population (less than 150 individuals) currently exists, breeding on the predator-free Whenua Hou island. There, it displays the unique nesting practice of burrowing into the sand dunes overlooking Sealers Bay, unlike the South Georgia diving petrel which nests on rocky slopes or flat land.
Based on subfossil remains, this subspecies formerly nested on Auckland Island and Stewart Island, and possibly on the Chatham and Macquarie islands as well. It was extirpated from Auckland due to nest destruction by New Zealand sea lions, while on Stewart it was extirpated due to nest predation by the introduced Polynesian rat. The remaining population itself is highly threatened by storm events; one such event in 2003 led to the collapse of many dunes, killing many birds. They are also threatened by the advance of coastal forest and invasive grasses and herbs over the dunes, as well as sea level rise due to climate change. While the petrel's foraging areas are unknown, an oil spill over this area would be devastating for this subspecies.
A piscivore is a carnivorous animal that eats primarily fish. Piscivorous is equivalent to the Greek-derived word ichthyophagous. Fish were the die...
Te
TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Co
CongregatoryCongregatory animals tend to gather in large numbers in specific areas as breeding colonies, for feeding, or for resting.
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
Precocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
Soaring birds can maintain flight without wing flapping, using rising air currents. Many gliding birds are able to "lock" their extended wings by m...
Seabirds (also known as marine birds) are birds that are adapted to life within the marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, b...
So
SocialNo
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
W
starts with
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...