Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor)

The smallest species of penguins is aptly named the little penguin. They are native to the southern shores of New Zealand and Australia and can be either blue or gray. Like other penguins, they are diving aces that hunt fish, squid, and krill. Little penguins tend to stay close to shore where they dive only about 2 m deep on average. In order to streamline their bodies, they waterproof their feathers with an oil that is secreted from a gland near their tails. They lay their eggs in burrows that they either find or dig themselves. Since space for burrows is somewhat limited in their habitat, they tend to cohabit with petrels and alternate occupancy with shearwaters. After hatching, chicks are highly susceptible to attacks from the treacherous reptiles that lurk in their territory as well as the fierce white bellied sea eagles. This is why little penguins always travel in groups and raise their young for 6 months before letting them off on their own.