WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — It’s loud, has a strong odor, and tends to be timid – yet it has earned the title of New Zealand’s Bird of the Year.
The hoiho, also known as the yellow-eyed penguin, emerged victorious in this competitive annual bird election on Monday. Supporters of this endangered species are hopeful that the attention from this achievement will help in efforts to revive its population.
This year’s campaign was clean, without the scandals and cheating issues that have marred previous contests. Instead, participants focused on traditional campaigning methods, such as meme competitions, securing endorsements from celebrities, and even getting tattoos to show their commitment.
Over 50,000 people participated in the voting process, which is 300,000 fewer than last year. In the previous election, British talk show host John Oliver humorously backed the pūteketeke, a bird known for its unusual habits, resulting in a decisive victory for the quirky bird.
This year, the votes cast made up about 10% of New Zealand’s population. The country has a strong appreciation for its native wildlife, something that is instilled in its citizens from an early age.
“Birds are at the core of who we are,” expressed Emma Rawson, who campaigned for the ruru, a small brown owl known for its melancholic call. With bats and marine animals being New Zealand’s only native mammals, the spotlight often shines on the country’s unique and often endangered birds.
The hoiho, which means “noise shouter” in Māori, is a shy species that may be the rarest penguin in the world. These birds are found only on New Zealand’s South and Chatham Islands as well as various subantarctic islands, and their numbers have plummeted by 78% over the past 15 years.
“This attention comes at a crucial moment. This iconic penguin is vanishing from mainland Aotearoa right before our eyes,” stated Nicola Toki, the CEO of Forest & Bird—the organization that runs the election— in a press release, referencing the Māori name for New Zealand. Despite ongoing conservation efforts on land, the birds face threats from fishing nets and food shortages.
“While the campaign has sparked awareness, we genuinely hope for real support to come from it,” indicated Charlie Buchan, the campaign manager for the hoiho. The bird’s campaign garnered high-profile endorsements from celebrity figures such as British zoologist Jane Goodall, Phil Keoghan from Amazing Race, and two former New Zealand prime ministers.
Individuals wishing to manage bird campaigns—ranging from businesses to high school students—submit their requests to Forest & Bird. The hoiho’s campaign was a collaboration of various wildlife groups, a museum, a brewery, and a rugby team from Dunedin, the region where this penguin is commonly found, making it one of the most robust campaigns in the 2024 election.
“I felt like we were the underdogs in this competition,” remarked Emily Bull, a spokesperson for the campaign supporting the karure—a small black robin that is exclusive to Chatham Island.
The karure’s campaign was led by the students’ association from Victoria University of Wellington, sparking a lively competition on the campus, where the student magazine launched a rival campaign for the kororā, or little blue penguin. This rivalry led to a flurry of memes and students dressing up in bird costumes, with some even getting tattoos. However, after the magazine secured endorsements from the city council and the local zoo, Bull worried about the fate of the black robin.
Despite these challenges, the karure, which has seen its population rebound from just five individuals in the 1980s to 250 today due to conservation efforts, managed to finish second overall in the election. This weekend, as Rawson wrapped up her campaign for the ruru, she took her message directly to the public, gathering votes at a local dog park. As a seasoned campaigner who has helped previous birds, she celebrated the ruru’s fourth-place finish as her best result yet.
“I’ve never engaged in human political campaigning before,” Rawson admitted, highlighting her interest in this competition due to the funds and awareness it generates. She noted that this year’s campaigns had a more composed atmosphere.
“There wasn’t any international controversy this time, even if that was quite entertaining at times,” she mentioned, alluding to Oliver’s well-known campaign from the previous year.
The election has not been devoid of controversies. While anyone globally can vote, Forest & Bird now requires voters to verify their ballots to avoid the foreign interference problems that affected past elections. In 2018, Australian pranksters cast numerous fake votes in favor of one bird, while in 2019, Forest & Bird had to clarify that numerous votes from Russia were legitimate statements of support from genuine bird enthusiasts.
Even though the competition can be fierce, managers describe their tactics as more akin to scripted wrestling than contentious political battles.
“Sometimes people want to make posts that seem confrontational, but they often check in with us to see if it’s okay,” Bull explained. “There’s a really supportive community here. It feels very wholesome.”
