The Penguins of Antarctica
Various Species of Penguin in Different Areas of the White Continent
Jun 19, 2008
On a trip to Antarctica the traveller can expect to see a huge variety of penguins. Being unused to people, they are very tame, and one get really close to them.
Travellers are forbidden from going nearer than 5 metres to any Antarctic wildlife, but if the animals and birds come closer of their own accord, that’s OK. So it is possible to sit quietly and watch penguins doing their own thing right next to you – a wonderful experience. The baby penguins or chicks especially are extremely cute, and if one is here at the right time of year, it is possible to watch them play and/or see the parents feeding them. It's quite wonderful, and a great photo opportunity.
Emperor Penguins
The world’s largest penguin, these are more than one metre tall and can weigh as much as 40 kg. They are found mainly in the Weddell Sea and Dronning Maud Land, Enderby and Princess Elizabeth Lands, and the Ross Sea. The Emperor is the only Antarctic bird that breeds in winter, with chicks becoming independent during November to January. There are known to be around 200,000 pairs of this species.
King Penguin
This is the world’s second largest penguin, being 20 cm shorter than the Emperor, and weighing between 9 and 15 kg. Kings are found on seven sub-Antarctic Island groups, and there are between a million and a million and a half breeding pairs. Chicks are reared through the winter and fledge the following summer, making annual breeding impossible.
Adelie Penguin
Adelies are found all over Antarctica, with breeding occurring everywhere including the Antarctic Peninsula. There are about two and half million breeding pairs in 177 locations. They breed in the summer in large colonies, are easy to find, and have been well studied. The Adelie is black and white with a distinctive white eye ring. The traveller is highly likely to meet this species of penguin, including seeing the chicks.
Chinstrap Penguin
Chinstraps are similar to Adelies, being small, and black and white, but they have a distinctive black line connecting the black cap to below the chin, which gives them their name. They are mainly found on the Antarctic Peninsula, and there are an estimated four million breeding pairs. Again, visitors are very likely to encounter this species.
Gentoo Penguin
These penguins have an orange bill and a white flash above and behind the eye, which distinguishes them fron the slightly smaller Adelies and Chinstraps. They are mainly found on the Antarctic Peninsula and the sub-Antarctic islands., with an estimated 300,000 breeding pairs. There ar also large populations at South Georgia and the Falkland Islands.
Macaroni Penguin
Orange tassels between the eyes distinguish the Macaroni. They breed on sub-Antarctic Islands and near the Peninsula, and are the most common penguin, with at least 11.2 million breeding pairs. There are also a large number on South Georgia, Iles Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, and Heard and McDonald Islands.
Rockhopper Penguin
These penguins are smaller than Macaronis and have yellow tassels that do not meet between the eyes. They are found in the sub-Antarctic regions, and as far north as Tristan da Cunha, with an estimated 3.7 million pairs. The largest population is on the Falkland Islands.
Royal Penguin
Royals are found only at sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island. They look like white-faced Macaronis. There are thought to be around 850,000 breeding pairs.
Further Reading
Lonely Planet Antarctica, Jeff Rubin, Lonely Planet Publications 2000
Antarctica: a Guide to the Wildlife, Tony Soper, Glove Pequot Press, 1994
For more information on Antarctica see:
Antarctica: Preparing for a Trip
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