All About Penguins


Did you know that there are penguins that live on the equator?

While most of us associate penguins with Antartica and other arctic regions, there are penguins that live in warmer climates such as South Africa, Austrailia, and the Galapagos Islands!

cartoon penguin with sunglasses

Fun Fact: There are about 18 different species of penguins!

image of Emperor penguin

Emperor Penguin

The emperor penguin is the tallest and heaviest of the species. They reside in Antartica, the world's southern most continent, where temperatures can drop to -60°C (-76°F). Brrrrr!

After a female emperor lays her egg (around June), she passes it over to the male and journeys nearly 50 miles to the ocean where she can feed on fish, squid and krill. Once the female returns about a month later, she regurgitates (or throws up) the food for the chicks to eat.

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image of Gentoo penguin

Gentoo Penguin

Gentoo penguins are recognized by their white stripe extending over the top of its head (like a bonnet!). They are also the third largest penguin (behind the emperor and king penguins).

Gentoos can be found on many of the sub-Antartic islands including the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and Kerguelen Islands.

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image of Rockhopper penguin

Rockhopper Penguin

Rockhopper penguins are the smallest of the crested penguins (a group of penguins who all share the same type of crown on their head) at an average height of 50cm (19.7in).

Rockhopper penguins differ from other types due to their violent nature. It is not unlikely to see them slapping each other with their flippers over a piece of fish or a nesting site.

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image of African penguin

African Penguin

The African penguin is one of the types of penguins that live in warmer environments. You can find these guys hanging out on the beaches of South Africa and Namibia.

African penguins grow to an average of 24-27in (~60-68cm) and weigh between 7-11lbs (~3-5kg). They have a bare spot above their eye that helps regulate their body temperature in the hot African sun.

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