Penguin Enthusiasts Club

Disclaimer: Here's where all my penguin facts came from (and here)

penguin family

Why are penguins amazing?

  1. Penguins are birds designed by evolution for swimming rather than flying. Their wings have turned into flippers, and though they usually walk upright on land, some drop on to their bellies to scoot over ice. Most species cruise underwater at an average speed of 4-7 miles per hour, but the Gentoo can speed up to 22 miles per hour.


  2. All penguins live south of the equator. Although we often associate them with Antarctic, they also occur farther north on beaches and rocky shores in coastal South America, the Galapagos Islands, Australia and South Africa.


  3. The largest penguin you will ever see trundling around the Antarctic is the emperor, which can stand in excess of 3.5 feet tall and weigh nearly 80 pounds, roughly the weight of two or three Thanksgiving turkeys. The emperor is also the only bird species that nests in the Antarctic during the winter, when temperatures can drop below minus 100 degrees Fahrenheit.


  4. Small penguins usually feed at the surface of the sea, rarely diving for more than a couple minutes. The emperor, however, can dive for more than 20 minutes, reaching depths in excess of 1,800 feet to feed on fish, squid, krill and other crustaceans.


  5. Penguins can drink sea water. Salt is filtered from the blood by special glands and the salt is secreted from the nasal passages.


  6. The largest known penguin of all time is Anthropornis nordenskjoeldi or giant penguin, which lived > 37 million years ago, stood 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighed 200 pounds. Its rival in size, the New Zealand giant, dates from around 30 million years ago, stood 5 feet tall and weighed close to 130 pounds.

Penguin Appendix

Species Size Loc. Pop. Status
Emperor Penguin 1.1 m (3.7 ft.), 41 kg (90 lbs.) subantarctic islands and New Zealand estimated 5,000 to 6,000 adults IUCN classifies this species as "vulnerable"; listed as "threatened" on the ESA; declining; nesting sites small, widespread and vulnerable to predation and human interference.
Adélie Penguin 46-61 cm (18-24 in.), 3.5-4.5 kg (8-10 lb.) circumpolar on Antarctic continent within limits of pack ice 2,370,000 breeding pairs IUCN classifies this species as "near threatened"; Adélie penguin populations are expected to decline, particularly in the northern part of their range, within the next few generations as a result of sea ice loss from climate change.
Emperor Penguin 1.1 m (3.7 ft.), 41 kg (90 lbs.) subantarctic islands and New Zealand estimated 5,000 to 6,000 adults IUCN classifies this species as "vulnerable"; listed as "threatened" on the ESA; declining; nesting sites small, widespread and vulnerable to predation and human interference.
Emperor Penguin 1.1 m (3.7 ft.), 41 kg (90 lbs.) subantarctic islands and New Zealand estimated 5,000 to 6,000 adults IUCN classifies this species as "vulnerable"; listed as "threatened" on the ESA; declining; nesting sites small, widespread and vulnerable to predation and human interference.
Emperor Penguin 1.1 m (3.7 ft.), 41 kg (90 lbs.) subantarctic islands and New Zealand estimated 5,000 to 6,000 adults IUCN classifies this species as "vulnerable"; listed as "threatened" on the ESA; declining; nesting sites small, widespread and vulnerable to predation and human interference.
Emperor Penguin 1.1 m (3.7 ft.), 41 kg (90 lbs.) subantarctic islands and New Zealand estimated 5,000 to 6,000 adults IUCN classifies this species as "vulnerable"; listed as "threatened" on the ESA; declining; nesting sites small, widespread and vulnerable to predation and human interference.
Emperor Penguin 1.1 m (3.7 ft.), 41 kg (90 lbs.) subantarctic islands and New Zealand estimated 5,000 to 6,000 adults IUCN classifies this species as "vulnerable"; listed as "threatened" on the ESA; declining; nesting sites small, widespread and vulnerable to predation and human interference.
penguin gif