All information about the penguin

What is a penguin?

A penguin is a bird that cannot fly. Its wings serve as flippers. A penguin can swim and dive well. Under water, the African penguin can reach a speed of 20 km per hour. They have a streamline shape. That is, they are rounded in front and pointed in the back. Because of this shape, they have less resistance in the water and are even faster!

Is the penguin a mammal or a bird?

Many people doubt whether a penguin is a bird or a mammal. A penguin is a seabird that cannot fly. You can recognize a bird by the fact that it has feathers. In addition, a penguin lays eggs. Mammals do not lay eggs so a penguin is not a mammal.

But if a penguin is a bird, why can't they fly? Ranger Floor tells you all about that in the video below!

The plumage of a penguin

Penguins have not one, but two layers of feathers! The first layer serves as protection against the cold. The second layer gives extra protection in the cold water. The penguin lubricates the second layer with grease, making it waterproof. A penguin's plumage consists of many small downy feathers. Those down feathers are very warm. This is necessary because they swim in the cold ocean. All adult penguins have a white belly and a black back. This serves as a camouflage color in the water! Once a year, the second layer of feathers falls out. This is called moulting and it lasts about three weeks. When the feathers fall out, the penguins are no longer well protected against the cold water and are no longer waterproof. So they can't swim and hunt anymore. During that moulting period, they get little to no food. Before the penguins lose their feathers, they eat a lot. So they build up a layer of fat to survive in the moulting period. African penguins live in warmer areas. Here there is a chance that the penguin can overheat because of its well-insulated plumage. Therefore, the African penguin can often be found in the water to cool off during the day and on land during fencing and at night.

Habitat of the penguin

Each penguin species lives in a different part of the world. Mostly they live in the southern hemisphere. Penguins are found in and around Antarctica, New Zealand, Australia, the Galapagos Islands, South Africa and southern South America. Many people think that penguins also live at the North Pole. However, this is not so. No penguins are found at the North Pole. Polar bears do live at the North Pole. A penguin and a polar bear have never seen each other in nature!

Reproduction of a penguin

Most penguin species lay two eggs except for emperor penguins. They only lay one at a time. They store the eggs on their feet. The breeding period lasts about 39 days. The male and female alternate during incubation. This allows them both to go hunting. When the time comes, the young chop open the thick shell using their egg tooth. This is a sharp spine at the end of the bill. When the young penguins hatch, they are covered with downy feathers. These down feathers change to the adult plumage within about three years. When the chicks are about two weeks old, the parents go hunting together to find food for the young. After about two to four months, the chicks go hunting on their own.

Pair for life

African penguins form pairs for life. Thus, they are monogamous. African penguins recognize each other unerringly in the midst of a group of peers by their unique sound.

Penguin chicks

Penguin chicks are born the same way as other birds: from an egg. Bird eggs cannot be laid in the sea, so penguins also have to make nests on land. This is where the male and female return each year to breed. The female lays an average of two eggs.

Wondering how our African Penguins build their nests and how many chicks they can eventually hatch from them? Ranger Brent finds out for you!

A group of penguins

A group of penguins is called a colony. Penguins live in large colonies of sometimes thousands of penguins together. In the middle of the group it can even be a lot warmer than at the very outside of the group. That's how they keep each other warm.

Enemies of the penguin

The penguin's main enemies in the sea are mainly orcas, leopard seals and sharks. On land, penguins have to keep a close eye on the eggs, because they can be robbed by the different birds. In addition, cats, dogs and rats are also dangerous to penguins.

Still, the penguin's biggest enemy is man. This is due to oil pollution, overfishing, disappearing habitat and tourism. Some penguin species were almost exterminated for their fat, eggs and feathers. The African penguin is therefore endangered. Over the past 100 years, the population of African penguins has declined by 90%!

The role of zoos is to preserve and protect of endangered species. European parks work closely together to achieve this goal and do so with an management program (EEP). The African penguin is also part of this. This way, a healthy reserve population is maintained. Find out more about species conservation and our role here here.

Conservation

Not only penguins, but many of the species you see in our park are endangered and struggling in their original habitats. Did you know that worldwide more than 4000 animal species are threatened with extinction? are endangered? Together we can help them, with big, or small steps. Want to know how? Then click here.

Wildlife Foundation

The Wildlife Foundation supports SANCCOB in South Africa. They help the animals by, for example, taking in sick and young African penguins. As soon as they are better, they are released into the wild. Want to know more about the Wildlife Foundation? Then click here.

What kind of sound does a penguin make?

Penguins make all kinds of sounds. The African penguins, like in Safaripark Beekse Bergen, make a balking sound. This sound is a bit like that of a donkey! The voice sound allows them to recognize and find each other again if they have lost each other. Penguins live in very large colonies, so there is a good chance they will lose track of each other from time to time. Each penguin has its own unique song.

Curious about the sound of a penguin? Come and listen live!

How does a penguin sleep?

A penguin also needs sleep, so it needs to rest. When a penguin sleeps, it lies or stands on the ground with its head between its feathers or under its wing. They don't sleep for very long, but often for short periods. When a penguin goes to sleep, it is vulnerable to predators. Therefore, even during its naps, it must keep a close eye on its surroundings.

What does a penguin eat?

Penguins are carnivores. This means they eat meat. They catch their food under water and in doing so, they can reach speeds as high as twenty kilometers per hour! They mainly eat fish, crustaceans, krill and small squid. Penguins have a kind of small hook on their tongue. This makes it easier for them to catch fish.

Species of penguins

Spread around the world, there are as many as 18 species of penguins. These are divided into four genera within the family penguins (Spheniscidae):

Aptenodytes

• King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus)

• Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri)

Eudyptes

• Fiordland penguin (Eudyptes pachyrynchus)

• Snares crested penguin (Eudyptes robustus)

• Big crested penguin (Eudyptes sclateri)

• Southern rock penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome)

• Northern rock penguin (Eudyptes moseleyi)

• Macaroni penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus)

• Royal penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli)

Eudyptula

• Little penguin (Eudyptula minor)

Megadyptes

• Yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptres antipodes)

Pygoscelis

• Stormland penguin (Pygoscelis antarcticus)

• Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua)

• Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae)

Spheniscus

• African penguin (Spheniscus demersus)

• Humboldt penguin (Spheniscus humboldti)

• Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus)

• Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus)

In Safaripark Beekse Bergen, you can see African penguins.

African penguin(Spheniscus demersus)

The African penguin (also called blackfoot penguin) is the only penguin that breeds in Africa. This species is found along the coast of southwest Africa. The African penguin can be recognized by the black horseshoe-shaped stripe that runs across the belly, from the flanks to the beginning of the throat. It also has a black back and a white belly.

Every African penguin has its own dot pattern on its belly. You can compare this to your fingerprint. It is unique to everyone!

Humboldt penguin (Spheniscus humboldti)

The name of this penguin comes from the German scientist and explorer Alexander von Humboldt. They live along the coasts of Chile and Peru. If you look closely at the Humboldt penguin, it looks a bit like the African penguin. This species also has a black stripe across its belly just like the African penguin. However, there is a visible difference in the two species. The Humboldt penguin has pink spots around its bill.

Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus)

The magellanic penguin is named after Ferdinand Magellan, the Portuguese explorer. They live along the coasts of southern South America. This penguin species also has a stripe running across its belly just like the African and Humboldt penguins. Unlike these species, the Magellanic penguin has a double stripe on its belly. It actually looks like an extra collar.

Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus)

This species lives on the Galapagos Islands. This group of islands is located off the west coast of Ecuador. This penguin species has an almost entirely black head. A small, white stripe runs above its eye toward its neck. The Galapagos penguin is threatened with extinction due to climate change and humans.

Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri)

The emperor penguin is the largest penguin species and can reach a height of 1.15 meters. The emperor penguin lives in large colonies in Antarctica. You can recognize the emperor penguin by its dark back, white belly and golden yellow spots along the side of its head.

Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus)

The king penguin is the second largest penguin species. It grows to about 95 cm tall. The king penguin lives in large colonies on islands around Antarctica. The king penguin looks a bit like the emperor penguin. Nevertheless, the two species can be kept apart. The king penguin is a bit smaller and can be easily recognized by his colored spots on his chest. Also, the king penguin has a longer, slimmer bill than the emperor penguin.

Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae)

The adelie penguin is one of the smaller penguin species. It can grow about between 41 and 61 cm tall. It has a small bill, all black and white plumage and a white ring around their eye. This species is found in and around Antarctica.

Stormland penguin (Pygoscelis antarcticus)

The stormbank penguin lives in and around Antarctica. This penguin can be easily distinguished from the other penguin species by his partially white head. Only on the underside of the head a black, thin line runs over the throat. This stripe gives the penguin its name. The top of the head is black and it has black and white plumage. It grows up to 72 cm tall.

Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua)

The gentoo penguin is found in and around Antarctica in large colonies. Of all penguin species he can swim the fastest. It can reach speeds of about forty kilometers per hour! The gentoo penguin can be recognized by its orange bill and feet. It also has a white stripe running across the top of its head. The gentoo penguin is not called gentoo penguin for nothing. In fact, the sound this penguin makes resembles the sound of a donkey!

Rock penguin

The rock penguin lives in the areas around Antarctica. He comes in two species: the northern rock penguin (Eudyptes moseleyi) and the southern rock penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome). The northern rock penguin is endangered. The southern rock penguin has "vulnerable" status, but this population is declining. Both the southern and northern rock penguin can be recognized by its yellow crest behind its eye.

Macaroni penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus)

The macaroni penguin is found on the islands around Antarctica. It is a fairly large penguin species, reaching a height of 71 centimeters. You can recognize the macaroni penguin by its distinctive long eyebrows that have black, yellow and orange colors and they have a red bill. How does this penguin species actually get such a strange name? The name is not similar to the macaroni we eat. It has to do with a gentlemen's club from England from the 18^e century. As a new fashion, they had their hair cut high and wild and put long feathers in it. They called themselves the Macaroni Club. When the penguins were discovered, they were called macaroni penguins because of their strange, long feathers as eyebrows.

Fiordland crested penguin (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus)

The fiordland penguin is found in New Zealand and breeds along the shores of Fiordland. If you look closely at its cheek, this species has three to six white stripes on its cheek. It has a large bill that is dull orange in color. This penguin species also has a thick yellow to orange eyebrow stripe that extends into small feathers.

Snares crested penguin (Eudyptes robustus)

The snares crested penguin is found in New Zealand and breeds on the Snares Islands. This penguin species is very similar to the Fiordland penguin, but has no white stripes on its cheek. The Snares crested penguin also has a pink-colored border around its bill. However, this penguin species also has a thick yellow to orange eyebrow stripe that ends in small feathers.

Royal penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli)

The royal penguin can be found on the islands between New Zealand and Antarctica. This penguin can be recognized by its white face and its yellow crest that starts from its forehead.

Large crested penguin (Eudyptes sclateri)

The large crested penguin can be found in New Zealand. Like the other penguins of the genus Eudyptes has a yellow-orange crest. This species is threatened with extinction. Researchers have noted that the population has declined by 50 percent in 45 years! Only an estimated 150,000 adult penguins of this species now live in the wild, and this population continues to decline every day.

Little penguin (Eudyptula minor)

As its name suggests, this penguin is the smallest penguin species of all. It grows only about thirty centimeters tall and weighs only 1.1 kilograms! They are found along the south coast of Australia and the coasts of New Zealand.

Yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes)

Even from the name of this penguin species you can tell where you can recognize it. This penguin has yellow eyes. They live along the coasts of New Zealand. Unfortunately, this species is threatened with extinction. It is estimated that there are now only between 2500 and 3400 adult penguins of this species in the wild and this number is decreasing every day.