New penguin species discovered on Kerguelen Islands

An international research team has identified a new species of penguin for the first time in over a century. The discovery was made on the Kerguelen Islands in the southern Indian Ocean, a remote location situated approximately 3,200 kilometers from any permanently inhabited territory.

Previously, the birds were classified as part of the Gentoo penguin group, which was thought to be a single species spread across the Southern Hemisphere. However, by analyzing the genomes of 64 penguins from ten colonies and comparing them with museum specimens dating back to the 19th century, scientists identified four distinct groups that have evolved separately for hundreds of thousands of years. The new species is the southeastern group found in the Kerguelen Islands.

While the new species is physically similar to other Gentoo penguins—featuring a black back and white belly—the research, published in Communications Biology, warns that this newly identified species may already be at risk.