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Penguin Facts: |
Penguin Links |
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About 15 species of penguins currently exist. Zoologists disagree about the exact number, disputing which should be classified as true species or sub-species. |
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Penguins live only in the southern hemisphere, on the coastlines of Antarctica, Australia, New Zealand, South America, Africa, and dozens of remote islands in the southern oceans. (No penguins at the North Pole.) Only the Antarctic penguins live on ice. The rest live in cool to moderate marine climates, and sometimes even get hot. |
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The largest species is the emperor penguin of Antarctica, weighing about 65 pounds and standing almost four feet tall. The smallest is the 2-pound blue or fairy penguin of Australia and New Zealand. Most other species weigh in the range of 5-12 pounds and stand 1.5-2 feet tall. |
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Penguins eat fish and crustaceans, and are themselves sometimes eaten by leopard seals, orcas, and sharks. On land, their only concern besides humans is other seabirds that steal their eggs and chicks. |
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Penguins are fast swimmers, and can shoot out of the water several feet to avoid predators or get up on rocks or ice floes. |
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Most penguins are plentiful, thanks in part to their remote island homes that keep them safe from land predators and people. Some populations in South Africa and New Zealand have declined alarmingly, however, due to over-fishing and habitat destruction. Also, the Galapagos penguin is currently considered endangered. This bird inhabits just two islands of Galapagos archipelago west of South America, and about 2,000 remain. |
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The life of the emperor penguin is perhaps most remarkable. Their large size is an adaptation to Antarctic climate, where temperatures often drop to -40F. Males spend the winters huddled together, incubating eggs on the tops of their feet, while females go to sea to feed. Around the time of hatching, the females return, and the males, who have lost more than one-third of their body weight, take a turn at sea. The pack ice expands during the incubation period, so when this trading of places occurs, the walk to and from the water might be 20-30 miles. |
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The origin of the name "penguin" is not known. |
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