A shy yellow-eyed bird known as the "people's penguin" has launched into the history books as winner of New Zealand's 2024 Bird of the Year contest.
The hoiho's Maori name means "noise shouter", but is said to be very shy despite its loud call.
Fewer than 5,000 hoiho remain in the wild, and they are known as one of the rarest penguins in the world.
It also took out the top spot in 2019, and was championed this year by the city of Dunedin — in a competition known for its memes and bird costumes across New Zealand — to garner 6,328 votes.
"Huge congrats to team hoiho, whose awesome efforts and energy have championed a deserving winner," said Forest & Bird chief executive Nicola Toki.
"In a competition that was anybird's to win, they showed up with the goods to capture hearts and minds across Aotearoa."
Tuhura Otago Museum in Dunedin led the campaign for the small bird, joined by local wildlife organisations, a rugby team and a local brewery which created a special pale ale in honour of the "people's penguin".
The karure, a tiny goth robin, came in second place while the kakapo, a flightless parrot, came in third.
Climate change, disease and introduced predators have all hit the hoiho population hard, with a 78 per cent drop in breeding numbers since 2009, according to the Yellow-Eyed Penguin Trust.
"This spotlight couldn't have come at a better time," Ms Toki said of the bird found solely in New Zealand across the east of the South Island and on subantarctic Auckland and Campbell Islands.
"Hoiho are being hammered from all angles. They suffer from horrible diseases like diphtheria and get attacked by dogs.
"This iconic penguin is disappearing from mainland Aotearoa before our eyes."
Last year's competition was subject to a humorous campaign of "foreign interference" by US comedian John Oliver, who barracked for his favourite bird, the puteketeke.
Oliver's support for the crested water bird across his talk show and multiple billboards put up across the world saw a record six-figure vote turnout, according to Forest & Bird.
The conservation charity runs the competition each year to raise awareness of New Zealand's precious wildlife, with 82 per cent of the country's native birdlife classified as threatened.
They have called for marine protected areas in hoiho habitats to ensure they have a shot at survival.
