However, of the 18 different species of penguin, only two ( emperor and Adélie) make the Antarctic continent their true home, although others ( chinstrap, gentoo and macaroni) breed on the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, where conditions are less harsh. Living in colonies with populations larger than some cities, and surviving in the harshest of conditions, it is no wonder that penguins are seen as the emblem of Antarctica. To survive, they may have to relocate to new habitats.Penguins are the most common birds in the Antarctic. Rapidly changing conditions mean Antarctica could lose most of its penguins to climate change by the end of the century. Warming in the polar regions has melted sea ice, which penguins depend on to find food and build nests. This forces many penguins to compete for food, and puts them in danger of getting accidentally captured by fishing nets.Īmong the biggest threats to penguin populations is climate change. Commercial fishing in the Southern Ocean is also a significant concern, as it has reduced fish supply by about half in the Antarctic Peninsula. Loss of habitat, disease, and infectious diseases spread by tourists loom as threats. Conservation and threatsĪbout two-thirds of penguin species are listed as threatened on the IUCN Red List, making them one of the most endangered seabirds. They condense this process to just a few weeks because they must fast during this time-they can’t hunt without their waterproof feathers. Unlike some birds that shed a few feathers at a time, penguins lose all their feathers at once during a process called catastrophic molt. Soon after the chicks fledge, parents will begin molting. When mother and father return, chicks listen for the unique audio frequency of their parents’ call, allowing them to reunite in a large, noisy crowd. For a few weeks each year, thousands of baby birds wait together while their parents forage for food. Parents take turns keeping their eggs warm, and when they hatch, feeding and protecting the chicks. Most penguins stay with their mate for many years and lay only one or two eggs at a time. Penguins come ashore to lay their eggs and raise their chicks. These colonies consist of thousands, and even millions, of penguins. If it’s especially cold, they huddle together in large colonies that protect them from predators and provide warmth. Polar penguins can travel long distances quickly by “ tobogganing,” or sliding across the ice on their bellies and pushing forward with their feet. On land, penguins have an upright stance and tend to waddle, hop, or run with their bodies angled forward. They can swim about 15 miles an hour, and when they want to go faster, they often porpoise, or leap out of the water as they swim. In fact, they spend most of their lives in the ocean and do nearly all of their hunting for krill, squid, and crabs underwater. While penguins can’t fly, their stiff flippers, webbed feet, and sleek shape make them expert swimmers. This protective countershading allows them to hide from predators like leopard seals and orcas while they swim.

The 18 different species of penguins can widely in shape and size but all have black bodies and white bellies. A thick layer of blubber and tightly-packed, oily feathers are ideal for colder temperatures. Some island-dwellers can be found in warmer climates, but most-including emperor, adélie, chinstrap, and gentoo penguins-reside in and around icy Antarctica. Penguins are flightless seabirds that live almost exclusively below the equator.

Penguins natural enemies