DOC asks dog owners to keep dogs under control as attacks on kororā rise

The Department of Conservation (DOC) is asking dog owners to take more care on coastal areas, after reports of dogs attacking kororā, the world’s smallest penguin, rose sharply.

Kororā weigh just 1 kilogram and are classified as at risk, declining. They can be found in many parts of New Zealand, and the whole coastline is habitat for them.

“We’re really concerned to see an upswing in reported attacks: from four reported attacks in 2021 to 28 in 2025,” said Cam Hunt, DOC Marine and Compliance Ranger.

What the numbers show

Hunt says 2025 had the highest number of recorded dog-on-kororā offences, with 25. This year is likely to pass that figure, with 22 incidents logged in DOC’s compliance database through September.

DOC reports a noticeable rise in attacks from mid-2025 to mid-2026, particularly from May to September. Hunt says attacks appear to be concentrated in the winter months of May to August.

Auckland has had 26 reported dog-on-kororā incidents since May 2021. Coastal Otago is next, with eight.

In September 2026 alone, three dog attacks on penguins were reported in different parts of the country: Raglan, Wellington and near Timaru. DOC is also aware of several incidents in October that may have involved dogs.

It is hard to tell what is behind the increase: the public may be reporting more, or there may be more incidents. “One trend we can clearly determine is more are being reported to us,” said Hunt.

Advice for dog owners

DOC wants owners to be more vigilant with their pets in coastal areas. Hunt says this matters now because many owners use the improving weather and daylight savings to exercise their dogs on beaches.

Owners should stick to beaches where dogs are allowed, keep an eye out for wildlife as they go, and bring a toy to distract their dog. Anyone who spots wildlife can let other dog owners nearby know.

Where kororā may nest, on beaches and in the dunes, dogs need to be on a lead or under proper control. DOC advises against letting them run off-lead after dark.

Even in an off-lead area, owners need to carry a lead and be able to call their dog back at once. That protects wildlife, and the dog too.

Dogs should stay out of the dunes and rocky areas where many coastal species rest or nest, and keep away from seals, gulls and shorebirds. Walking below the high tide line keeps dogs clear of kororā burrows.

Reporting an attack

Anyone who sees a dog attack or threaten a penguin, or any other protected wildlife, can call 0800 DOC HOT. DOC says the report lets it investigate.

City and district councils also record and investigate incidents involving dogs and penguins.