Yellow-Eyed Penguin Wins New Zealand's Bird of the Year

The endangered species' victory follows a controversy-free campaign filled with memes, celebrity endorsements, and tattoos.

The yellow-eyed penguin, or hoiho, is considered the world's rarest penguin and has seen its population drop by 78% in the past 15 years.
More than 50,000 people voted in this year's Bird of the Year contest, significantly fewer than last year's 350,000 votes.
Campaigns this year avoided foreign interference and cheating scandals, focusing instead on creative tactics like meme wars and celebrity endorsements.
The hoiho's campaign received support from notable figures such as Jane Goodall and two former New Zealand prime ministers.
The runner-up was the karure, a black robin whose population has recovered from five to 250 birds since the 1980s.