Although the numbers of penguins increased rapidly between the 1920s (when the colony first formed) and the 1970s, the numbers have declined by 24 percent in the last two decades. This means that penguin populations can reflect the health of the oceans, acting as sentinels and providing important information about changing ecosystems.įor example, Punta Tombo, Argentina is the home of the largest Magellanic penguin colony on the planet, with 400,000 breeding penguins. In addition, penguins make use of very wide geographical areas in the ocean when they forage and, during winter migrations, are exposed to a variety of threats like oil pollution and lack of fish for food. This slow growth restricts their ability to recover quickly from both natural and human-caused disasters. Penguins are also long-lived, only laying one or two eggs each year, and take several months to raise their offspring. They depend on marine food sources that can be unpredictable, putting them at risk for starvation. They are flightless, making it difficult for them to escape from introduced predators like housecats and rats, and their Southern Hemisphere homes are warming rapidly. Penguins have features that make them particularly sensitive to human activities. ![]() Climate change, pollution, and overfishing impoverish penguins’ ocean habitat, while habitat degradation, introduced predators and human disturbance are affecting penguins on land. In the last 25 years, 14 species have been upgraded to a more severe conservation status because of human-induced changes to their ecosystems. Of the 18 species of penguins alive today, 11 are listed as threatened with extinction by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature). Some burrowing species even modify the landscape as they dig nests into the ground.īut many species of penguins are declining in numbers and, because they feed in the ocean and breed on land, they face threats in both realms. They carry nutrients between land and sea, and enrich both with their feces. By chasing after fish, squid and krill, they affect prey populations wherever they hunt. Penguins-adults, young and eggs-serve as food for predators such as leopard seals and seabirds in cold areas, along with foxes, leopards, and even crabs in warmer climates. Penguins do far more than make us smile, however they also play important roles in ecosystems both in the ocean and on land. One can almost imagine joining the end of the queue when they follow one another in single file along icy paths, sometimes slipping or body sledding along the way. In their crowded breeding colonies, they squabble with and show off to their neighbors, sometimes resorting to petty theft. They are protected by the Antarctic Treaty of 1959 and received near threatened status on the IUCN Red List in 2007.It’s hard not to identify with penguins as they waddle about upright on land, clad in their tuxedo-like plumage. Gentoo numbers are increasing on the Antarctic Peninsula but have plummeted in some of their island enclaves, possibly due to local pollution or disrupted fisheries. Gentoo eggs and chicks, however, are vulnerable to birds of prey, like skuas and caracaras. On land, adults have no natural predators other than humans, who harvest them for their oil and skin. Gentoo penguins are a favored menu item of the leopard seals, sea lions, and orcas that patrol the waters around their colonies. When pursuing prey, which includes fish, squid, and krill, they can remain below for up to seven minutes and dive as deep as 655 feet. ![]() HuntingĪdults spend the entire day hunting, usually close to shore, but occasionally ranging as far as 16 miles out. They have streamlined bodies and strong, paddle-shaped flippers that propel them up to 22 miles an hour, faster than any other diving bird. Like all penguins, gentoos are awkward on land. Hatchlings remain in the nest for up to a month, and the parents alternate foraging and brooding duties. The mother then deposits two spherical, white eggs, which both parents take turns incubating for more than a month. At breeding time, both parents will work to build a circular nest of stones, grass, moss, and feathers. Gentoo parents, which often form long-lasting bonds, are highly nurturing. They gather in colonies of breeding pairs that can number from a few dozen to many thousands. Gentoos are partial to ice-free areas, including coastal plains, sheltered valleys, and cliffs. These charismatic waddlers, who populate the Antarctic Peninsula and numerous islands around the frozen continent, are the penguin world’s third largest members, reaching a height of 30 inches and a weight of 12 pounds. With flamboyant red-orange beaks, white-feather caps, and peach-colored feet, gentoo penguins stand out against their drab, rock-strewn Antarctic habitat.
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