Penguins are divided into 17 or 18 species – a number that causes disputes among specialists. Most of them live in Antarctica and the subantarctic islands of New Zealand, but some prefer slightly less icy waters in South America, Australia and Africa. Despite being birds, penguins are unable to fly and they really like water. Great swimmers, reaching almost 40 km/h when hunting molluscs, crustaceans and small fish. Fast swimming is also a weapon to escape its predators: sharks, whales, sea lions and, mainly, killer whales and leopard seals. On land, the biggest threat comes from skuas, birds of prey that love to eat penguin eggs and newborn chicks. Most species have a black back and head and a white breast. Other typical characteristics of these birds, which live around 30 years, are the short legs, the rigid wings and the clumsy gait. The size varies greatly: there are species with less than 40 centimeters in height and others that exceed 1 meter. Usually these big guys are the ones that live in the coldest regions, as they need to accumulate more fat under their feathers to protect themselves from the intense cold. A great curiosity about penguins is their marital fidelity: they usually spend their whole lives with the same partner, unless the couple faces problems in reproduction. Females generally lay their eggs (one or two) during summer or spring and the male participates in the incubation period. Even with the couple’s care, the mortality rate of the puppies is impressive: between 40% and 80% of newborns do not reach adulthood. Those that escape this high mortality are independent of their parents from 2 to 5 months of life, depending on the species.
ADELIE PENGUIN (Pygoscelis adeliae)
Height and weight: 70 cm and 4 kg
Where it lives: Antarctica
Estimated population: 5 million*
One of the most numerous species in the world, it was named after the wife of an early 19th-century French explorer. The Adelie has a white ring around its eyes and performs acrobatic leaps when it comes out of the water onto land.
GALAPAGOS PENGUIN (Spheniscus mendiculus)
Height and weight: 45 cm and 2.5 kg
Where it lives: Galápagos and Isabela islands, next to the equator
Estimated population: less than 2 thousand*
The least numerous species on the planet is also the one that lives further north. To keep cool during the day — as the temperature in its habitat easily reaches 38 degrees — the Galapagos penguin swims in a stream of cold water that reaches the region.
GENTOO PENGUIN (Pygoscelis papua)
Height and weight: 75 cm and 6 kg
Where it lives: Antarctic islands and Falkland Islands
Estimated population: 640 thousand*
The fastest swimming bird in the world reaches 36 km/h underwater. Gentoo’s most striking characteristic is the color of its beak, which is a very bright orange. It can be aggressive and will fight other birds to get rocks and grasses to build its nest.
MAGELLIAN PENGUIN (Spheniscus magellanicus)
Height and weight: 70 cm and 4 kg
Where it lives: Malvinas Islands and the southern coast of Argentina and Chile
Estimated population: 3.6 million*
Its name is a tribute to the navigator Fernão de Magalhães, the first European to sight it, in 1519. In winter, it migrates north and is the only penguin regularly seen on the Brazilian coast — in general, they are animals that get lost in the currents marine
KING PENGUIN (Aptenodytes patagonicus)
Height and weight: 90 cm and 16 kg
Where it lives: subantarctic islands
Estimated population: 4 million*
Similar to the emperor, the king penguin is another quite numerous species. He has yellowish spots around his ears and neck. The male assists the female in incubating the eggs, which are laid during the summer and take about 50 days to hatch.
BLUE PENGUIN (Eudyptula minor)
Height and weight: 35 cm and 1 kg
Where it lives: Coasts of Australia and New Zealand
Estimated population: 1 million*
Standing just 35 centimeters tall, it is the smallest of the penguin species and gets its name from the bluish hue of its feathers. During the day, it feeds on small fish and squid. At night, look for solid ground to sleep
EMPEROR PENGUIN (Aptenodytes forsteri)
Height and weight: 1.15 m and 40 kg
Where it lives: Antarctica
Estimated population: 440 thousand*
It is the biggest penguin on the planet. It lives in regions of Antarctica where the temperature reaches minus 60 degrees, but it doesn’t care: it lays its eggs in the dead of winter. When hunting, it dives to an incredible 300 meters deep.
* Populations estimated by the International Penguin Conservation Work Group