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They live almost exclusively in areas of cold ocean currents in the southern hemisphere. Experts distinguish around 18 recent species of Penguins. They classify them into 6 clearly defined genera of a single Penguin family (Spheniscidae).
Did you know… the oldest Penguin fossils are 62 million years old.
The smallest species, the Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor) grows up to 15 in. and weighs up to 4.5 lb. The Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri), the largest species, can be more than 4 ft tall and weigh over 80 lb. Some fossil species were even significantly larger, perhaps as tall as the average adult male (6 ft). Penguins live 15-20 years, depending on the species.
Why do Penguins Look so Funny? The black back and white front of the body serve Penguins as an excellent camouflage to underwater predators. The white is not visible to predators and the black captures the sun’s rays and acts as a heater. The Penguin’s black-and-white colouring is called “counter-shading”.
Where do Penguins Live? Penguins are very sociable birds, their nesting colonies often number thousands of nests. Penguins are found only in the southern hemisphere. Although most people associate Penguins with Antarctica, they are much more widespread. Penguin populations can be found in South America, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. The northernmost Penguin species is the Galápagos Penguin. The general distribution of Penguins is shown on the map below.
Discovery of Penguins Penguins were discovered by sailors in the 16th century, who were looking for sea routes around the coasts of South America and Africa. Diaries of famous seafarers such as Vasco da Gama and Fernão de Magalhães and pirates Francis Drake and William Dampier mention Penguins. Some sailors considered them as “feathered fish”, others, such as Francis Drake, referred to them as “flightless white and black geese”. Live Penguins were not imported to Europe until the second half of the 19th century, and their breeding, which is associated with a number of difficulties, has long been the prerogative of the best zoos, mainly in the United States, Great Britain and Japan.
What do Penguins Eat? Penguins are carnivores, eating many species of marine animals. They feed on a diverse diet of sea creatures, from fish to octopuses, krill, plankton and crustaceans. However, as Penguins feed almost exclusively on fish, they increasingly face the problem of finding enough food, due to their food sources being limited by climate change and overfishing.
Comical Walkers – Exceptional Swimmers Penguins lost their ability to fly millions of years ago, but their fin-like wings make them excellent swimmers. Penguins are the fastest swimmers and the best divers in the bird kingdom. On land, Penguins are quite clumsy. They have stunted, inflexible knees, and move in a slow waddling gait.
When swimming, Penguins jump over the water and perform a so-called "swing", which fluffs their feathers with small bubbles that reduce friction, allowing them to swim at speeds of over 18 mph. Penguins are perfectly adapted to diving and deep-water hunting.
Did you know… Gentoo Penguins are the fastest of all Penguin species. They can swim at speeds of up to 22 mph.
It is worth mentioning that underwater, they have incredibly sharp eyesight, even in dirty water. Above the surface, on the other hand, Penguins are very short-sighted.
Adaptation to Cold and Frost Penguins spend 75 % of their time at sea. Penguins can live in very inhospitable conditions. In Antarctica, they swim in sea temperatures of approx. 40 °F. In order to keep warm in cold waters and frost on land, they have developed a thick layer of subcutaneous fat, which makes up almost one-third of their body weight. Short, dense overlapping feathers grow evenly throughout the body and are carefully lubricated. The Emperor Penguin’s feathers have up to four different layers.
Breeding During breeding season, penguins come ashore to form huge colonies called rookeries. When a Penguin is 3 - 6 years old, it is mature enough to mate.
Most penguins are monogamous. Male and female pairs will mate exclusively with each other for the duration of the mating season. In many cases, the male and female will continue to mate with each other for most of their lives.
Some Penguin species are thriving, but most of them are decreasing in numbers. For example, the population of Emperor Penguins is steadily decreasing. The Emperor Penguin is the largest of all species of Penguins. weighing up to 100 lb. The smallest species of Penguin is the Little Penguin, weighing only 3.5 lb. Emperor and King Penguins do not build nests. The female Emperor Penguin lays a single egg and leaves it to the male to “babysit”. He balances the egg on his feet and covers it with the feathered skin, known as a brood pouch, on the underside of his abdomen. The male Emperor Penguin takes care of the eggs for up to 65 days without eating anything, living on his fat reserves.
Other species lay two eggs in a nest. The two parents take it in turns to hold the eggs between their legs for warmth in the nest. The eggs take 65 - 75 days to hatch. After the chicks emerge, the parents take it in turns to feed them, regurgitating their food. Penguin parents identify their offspring by unique calls that the chicks make.
**Penguin species ** There are 18 recognized species of penguins in the world. The number of extant Penguin species is debated, estimates ranging between 16 and 28 living types. Penguins are often geographically isolated from each other, that is why it is difficult to determine their status, species, subspecies or color morphs.
Adélie Penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) are common along the entire coast of the Antarctic continent. They are the most southerly distributed of all Penguins, along with Emperor Penguins. A 2014 satellite analysis of coastal areas found 3.79 million breeding pairs of Adélie Penguins in 251 breeding colonies. IUCN Red List status: Least Concern.
African Penguins (Spheniscus demersus) - the only species native to Africa, with habitats in South Africa and Namibia. IUCN Red List status: Endangered.
Chinstrap Penguins (Pygoscelis antarctica) inhabit islands and shores in the Southern Pacific and Antarctic Oceans. The name stems from the narrow black band under its head, which makes it appear as if it were wearing a black helmet. The global population of the chinstrap Penguins is estimated to be about 8 million. IUCN Red List status: Least Concern.
Emperor Penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) are the tallest and heaviest of all living Penguin species and are endemic to Antarctica. The Emperor Penguin breeds in the coldest environment of any bird species; air temperatures may reach −40 °F. The total population was estimated in 2009 to be at approx. 595 000 adult birds. IUCN Red List status: Near Threatened.
Erect-crested Penguins (Eudyptes sclateri) are endemic to New Zealand, and only breed on Bounty and Antipodes Islands.They spend the winter at sea. The current population is estimated at 150 000 mature individuals. IUCN Red List status: Endangered.
Fiordland Penguins (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus) are endemic to New Zealand and breed along the south-western coasts of New Zealand's South Island, as well as on Stewart Island/Rakiura and outlying islands. Their numbers have been drastically reduced and they are now only found in the least-populated part of New Zealand. IUCN Red List status: Near Threatened.
Galápagos Penguins (Spheniscus mendiculus) are endemic to the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. This is the only Penguin found north of the Equator, most commonly on Fernandina Island and the west coast of Isabela Island. As of 2018, approx.1 200 mature Galápagos Penguins are left. IUCN Red List status: Endangered.
Gentoo Penguins (Pygoscelis papua) inhabit the Falkland Islands, but are also considered inhabitants of other southern Indian and Atlantic Oceans islands, such as Marion Island. They make their nests from mounds of grass collected near the beaches. IUCN Red List status: Least concern.
Humboldt Penguins (Spheniscus humboldti) from South America live mainly in the Pingüino de Humboldt National Reserve in the North of Chile. The current population is composed of 32 000 mature individuals, but this is decreasing. IUCN Red List status: Vulnerable.
King Penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) are found in the South Atlantic and in the South Indian Ocean (Kerguelen Islands, Crozet Island, Prince Edward Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands) and Macquarie Island. The total population is estimated at 2.23 million pairs and it is increasing. IUCN Red List status: Least concern.
Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor) are found along the coastlines of South Australia and New Zealand. Due to their small size, they are called Fairy Penguins in Australia, and Blue Penguins in New Zealand, because of their bluish color. Rough estimates of their population range between 350 000 and 600 000. IUCN Red List status: Least concern.
Macaroni Penguins (Eudyptes chrysolophus) are the most abundant species of Penguin, with a minimum of 12 million pairs worldwide, ranging from the Subantarctic to the Antarctic Peninsula. In South America, Macaroni Penguins are found in Southern Chile and the Falkland Islands. They also inhabit Antarctica, including the northern South Shetland Islands, Bouvet Island, Prince Edward and Marion islands, the Crozet Islands, the Kerguelen Islands, and the Heard and McDonald Islands. IUCN Red List status: Vulnerable.
Magellanic Penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) from South America breed in coastal Patagonia, including Argentina, Chile and the Falkland Islands. Some migrate to Brazil and Uruguay, where they are occasionally seen as far north as Espirito Santo. IUCN Red List status: Least concern.
Northern Rockhopper Penguins (Eudyptes moseleyi) breed in cool temperate climates, including on the islands of Gough and Tristan da Cunha in the Atlantic Ocean and St. Paul and Manchester in the Indian Ocean. IUCN Red List status: Endangered.
**Southern Rockhopper Penguins **(Eudyptes chrysocome) breed on the Falkland Islands, Argentina and Chile, with breeding colonies around Cape Horn in South America, and Gough, Prince Edward, Marion, Crozet, Kerguelen, Heard, Macquarie, Champbell, Auckland and Antipodes Islands in the southern Indian Ocean. IUCN Red List status: Vulnerable.
Snares Penguins (Eudyptes robustus) from New Zealand breed on the Snares Islands, a group of islands off the southern coast of South Island. They nest in colonies, varying in size from 10 to 1 200 nests. The main colonies are located on North East Island; other colonies are established on Broughton Island as well as the rocky Western Chain. The current population is estimated at approx. 25 000 breeding pairs. IUCN Red List status: Vulnerable.
Yellow-eyed Penguins (Megadyptes antipodes) are also known as hoiho or **tarakaka. **They are endemic to New Zealand. This is the rarest species of Penguin, with a population estimated at only 5 000 individuals. IUCN Red List status: Endangered.
Royal Penguins (Eudyptes schlegeli) are a subspecies of Penguin found on the sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island and adjacent islands. IUCN Red List status: Near Threatened.
Some Penguins are already endangered, which means their population is getting so small that they are in danger of no longer existing. To save the Penguins, we must restore their natural breeding habitats and reduce our impact on the environment. It is necessary to raise awareness, and to stop climate change, ocean pollution and overfishing.
Climate Change Most Penguins living in Antarctica need icy areas to survive. They use the ice to find food and build nests. Climate change thus affects their habitats. Icy areas are melting, as temperatures in many areas of the Earth change due to the increased amounts of pollution caused by humans. For example, the Emperor Penguin living in Antarctica is facing a serious challenge, as the melting of ice affects these Penguins’ food source of fish, squid and krill, who in turn feed on zooplankton and phytoplankton that grow on the ice. This is a negative domino effect. The African Penguin and Galápagos Penguin are both considered endangered**.** There are fewer than 2 000 Galápagos Penguins left on earth.
Oil Spills and Marine Pollution These disasters are devastating to many species. The ways that oil spills affect Penguins according to a conservation fact sheet on zooPenguins.org: “When the birds are coated with oil, they try to clean their feathers and end up ingesting the oil. Sadly, many birds die of starvation, ingesting the toxic oil or from hypothermia. Oil on the bird’s body affects their ability to float and so they do not venture into the water in search of food. It also inhibits the ability to control their body temperature. Oil which is swallowed gives them ulcers and affects their kidneys and lungs.” Birds which have been exposed to oil may have lasting negative effects on their reproductive systems, as reported by the National Wildlife Federation.
Overfishing Penguins feed almost exclusively on fish, and their food source is limited by climate change and overfishing. Chicks starve, when parent Penguins need to hunt further away to find enough food for their offspring. Emperor and Adelie Penguins are on the verge of becoming endangered as Penguin populations become ever smaller.
Illegal Egg Harvesting Penguin eggs are considered a delicacy by some cultures, and in the case of the African Penguin, “… their eggs are considered a delicacy, and uncontrolled harvesting nearly drove the birds into extinction,” according to the Tribune Business News.
Because Penguins meet in specific areas to breed, and those areas are already being affected by climate change, the illegal plunder of their eggs further reduces their population levels.
Introduced Predators Penguins have many natural predators e.g. leopards, seals, killer whales, snakes, sharks and foxes. They are also hunted by Skua (a large gull-like bird) and Giant Petrels.
In addition to these predators, Penguins also face introduced predators e.g. feral dogs and cats, and sometimes rats and ferrets, who steal their eggs. Since Penguins tend to live in specific areas and to return to specific mating spots, the added threat of newly introduced predators can severely decrease their population.
Many Penguin species are close to extinction. Human indifference, greed and negligence all contribute to their decline. What can we do to save the Penguins? Read the Solution section!
Everyone can get involved to save Penguins. How can YOU help?
**Support the battle against climate change. **Due to climate change, there is loss of ice, krill, zooplankton and phytoplankton, which trigger a domino effect. Climate change also hurts Penguin chicks, because it reduces the amount of food that their parents can find and bring back to the nest.
Fight to stop overfishing and bycatch. Overfishing and bycatch threaten Penguins. While the goal of fishing in Penguin environments is not to catch Penguins, they lose their food sources and also become accidental victims when they get entangled in nets. While Penguins are excellent swimmers, they have to come to the surface to breathe. They can't do this when they are trapped in fishing nets, hence many of them drown.
Support the war against pollution of the world's oceans. Worldwide, most Penguins die from oil spill pollution. Hunting and marine pollution contribute to their decline. Cut back on products packaged in plastic or plastic-based items. Make sure you recycle whenever you can and dispose of other trash correctly.
Fight to stop illegal harvesting of Penguin eggs. Penguin eggs are considered a delicacy in some cultures. Egg collecting is prohibited, but some Penguin species are still on the verge of extinction. So, do not eat illegally obtained eggs!
Support research to better understand what the Penguin habitat might look like in the near future, how Penguins can be best protected, and how the Antarctic is affected the climate change.
Fight for the conservation of the Penguin habitat. The Penguin habitat is threatened by vegetation loss, caused by livestock breeding. Penguins are more vulnerable to predators, and their colonies are shrinking. To save Penguins, we must restore their natural breeding habitat.
Raise awareness about the shrinking populations of Penguins! Inform your friends on social networks as well as in person. The more people become aware of the problem, the easier it will be to restore their numbers.
Vote with your money when shopping. The best way to help endangered ocean-dependent species is not to support the industry by choosing not to eat fish and seafood! Ensure any fish you purchase is from sustainable, well-managed fisheries.
Reduce your carbon footprint. It is necessary to reduce carbon emissions to end the climate crisis. Everyone can reduce air and road travel, or use more efficient electrical appliances with lower consumption.
If an oil spill occurs near you, get involved with the clean-up. Connect with local organizations dedicated to the rehabilitation of birds after oil spills.
Write to your State representatives to demand tougher regulations for oil transportation for the benefit of the environment.