A new exhibition at Tūhura Otago Museum is inviting visitors to reflect on one of New Zealand's most urgent conservation challenges — the rapid decline of the hoiho yellow-eyed penguin.
Dunedin photographer Astrid Erasmuson’s photographic exhibition ‘‘Before the Silence’’ explores what it means to witness the disappearance of a species that has long been woven into the identity of coastal Otago.
For many years, the 44-year-old volunteered for Predator Free Dunedin, clearing Halo Project traps around southern coastlines.
‘‘Obviously, going into the forest, seeing the penguins, and taking photos of them on a regular basis, you notice the decline in the numbers that you are seeing.
‘‘Over time, there were less and less footprints on the beach and it became kind of noticeable, and I realised that what I was seeing was kind of like on a small scale of what was probably happening to the wider population.’’
She said the situation inspired her to document the decline in photographs, as part of her master of design degree at Otago Polytechnic.
‘‘It's quite different to the wildlife photography exhibition that's in the other gallery. That's sort of lovely and cuddly and cheerful, whereas this is a bit of a different take on wildlife photography.
‘‘It’s a bit bleak.
‘‘It's my personal experience of the hard dose of reality of finding out just how bad it is for the species.’’
With fewer than 115 breeding pairs of hoiho remaining across mainland New Zealand and Stewart Island, scientists have warned the northern population could face functional extinction within a few years.
The exhibition moves between places where hoiho still remain, and locations where they have already vanished, creating a poignant visual narrative of presence, absence and loss.
‘‘Once you could stand on these shores and expect to see hoiho moving between forest and sea,’’ Ms Erasmuson said.
‘‘Today, that expectation is fading.
‘‘I was drawn to learn more about the struggle to help hoiho and to support the work of conservationists, scientists, iwi and other stakeholders by sharing this story through my practice as a photographer.’’
Her exhibition documents the birds' presence and absence over the past two summers and the deep sadness she experienced witnessing their journey towards functional extinction.
It also encourages visitors to consider their own role in protecting the species, highlighting practical actions people could take to support hoiho recovery and conservation efforts.
Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust Te Tautiaki Hoiho general manager Norcombe Barker said creative projects such as ‘‘Before the Silence’’ played an important role in conservation advocacy.
‘‘Conservation is built on science and action, but it also relies on people caring deeply enough to act.
‘‘Work like Astrid's helps make the plight of hoiho visible in a way that statistics alone cannot.’’
The free exhibition runs in the Beautiful Science Gallery until September 6.
