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Penguins are one of the most popular animals on the planet, and have been overly since movies like March of the Penguins and Happy Feet came out in 2005-2006.
But how much do you know well-nigh these minion flightless birds? Do you know where penguins live, what they eat, how fast they can swim, or that they stage when increasingly than 60 million years?! The 17 variegated species of penguins can be found on every continent in the Southern Hemisphere– Africa, Antarctica, Australia and South America.
While most people socialize these funny flightless waterfowl with the unprepossessed climate of Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic islands, they’re moreover seen as far north as the coasts of Namibia, Brazil, and the Galapagos Islands.
1. ANTARCTICA & THE ANTARCTIC ISLANDS
If you’ve overly seen March of the Penguins, you probably imagine the penguins of Antarctica all huddled together is massive colonies to shield their eggs from a blinding blizzard.
While that’s certainly a reality of life for some penguin species, it’s much easier for travelers to visit them during the Antarctic summer, when daytime temperatures often get into the 40s.
Antarctica is home to four variegated species of Penguin, each of which has their own preferred habitat.
Emperor Penguins typically successors on pack ice and shelf ice (usually between the 66° and 77° south latitudes). But several tastefulness colonies have been found on land in recent years, including one at Amundsen Bay and flipside at Taylor Glacier in Victoria Land.
Chinstrap Penguins, Gentoo Penguins, and Adelie Penguins are all closely related and wontedly seen.
Look for them nesting on rocks relatively tropical to shore on both the mainland and numerous Antarctic and sub-Antarctic islands, including the Danger Islands, the Falklands, and South Georgia Islands.
2. AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND
Once you get yonder from Antarctica, most of the places where penguins live are rocky islands and dry, desert-like environments where their inability to fly doesn’t make them vulnerable to land-based predators.
Though most people think of Australia as dry and dusty, it’s moreover home to the Little Penguin, which is yearningly known locally as the Fairy Penguin due to its teeny size.
These winsome beauties can be found wideness the continent’s southern coast, including Sydney’s North Harbour, Tasmania, Victoria, and myriad nearby islands (including, naturally, Penguin Island).
In New Zealand, they’re tabbed Little Blue Penguins (or koror among the Mori people).
New Zealand is moreover home to the Yellow-Eyed Penguin (mainland, Auckland, Campbell, and Stewart Islands); Fiordland Penguin (Open Bay, South, and Stewart Islands); and Snares Penguin (a crested species found only in the Snares Islands).
3. ARGENTINA/CHILE
The southernmost countries in South America– a.k.a. Patagonia– are home to four variegated penguin species. Humboldt Penguins (a.k.a. Peruvian Penguins) are found on the continent’s west side, from Chile all the way up to the tailspin of Peru. They’re named without the unprepossessed water current in which they swim (which was named for explorer Alexander von Humboldt).
You can identify them by the white verge that runs from overdue their vision and virtually their ear-coverts, joining at the throat. They’re closely related to Magellanic Penguins, with whom they share some range.
Named without the famous Portuguese explorer, Magellanic Penguins have a massive range that extends from southern Chile and Argentina to the Falkland Islands and as far north as Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
You may spot them swimming in large flocks, diving up to 50 meters to feed on cuttlefish, squid, krill, and other crustaceans. You’ll moreover like see vast tastefulness colonies, with nests well-nigh 5 meters untied under bushes or in burrows.
4. GALAPAGOS ISLANDS
Located some 850 miles from mainland Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands is one of the only places in the world where travelers have a fairly decent endangerment to swim with penguins.
Though they’re the most rare and endangered penguin species on the planet, you’re virtually guaranteed to see Galapagos Penguins on the western islands of Fernandina and Isabela (especially virtually Tagus Cove).
But you may moreover see small populations on Floreana, northern Santa Cruz, and Santiago Island. You’ll usually see them sunning themselves on the shore, or shooting like rockets underwater in search of a snack.
My favorite encounter came during a trip off the tailspin of Bartolome, which is home to Pinnacle Rock. A pair of curious penguins hopped into the water abreast our group of snorkelers, and swam with us for 20 minutes!
If you do get an opportunity to go swimming with Galapagos Penguins during your visit to the islands, you’re VERY lucky: Our local guide said it had only happened to her once in 17 years of working in the archipelago!
5. SOUTH AFRICA
When most people think of South Africa, they tend to think of Nelson Mandela, Big 5 wildlife safaris, and the scenic wine country virtually Cape Town. But the country’s coastlines are moreover home to the African Penguin, which has wilt increasingly popular with tourists in recent years. Their habitat spreads all the way virtually the southern tailspin from Algoa Bay, near Port Elizabeth, up to northern Namibia, with colonies on both the mainland and 24 variegated islands (including the Penguin Islands).
Boulders Beach, near Simon Town, is one of the weightier places to see them. And considering the colony is habituated to human presence, it is moreover possible to swim with penguins there. Sadly, like its Galapagos cousin, the African Penguin is currently endangered due to exploitation, oil spills, and depletion of their favorite prey, anchovy and sardines.