African Penguin
Spheniscus demersus
Where is it found?
Lives on the coast
Diet and foraging method
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Dives underwater to hunt for fish such as anchovies and sardines
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Key adaptations
Well adapted for swimming, with a streamlined body and wings adapted into flippers.
Good camouflage from above (in the air) or below (in the sea), by having a dark back and a white front.
Special muscles at the base of their feathers hold them tight against the body when swimming to stay waterproof, and stand up when outside the water to trap an insulating layer of air.
Good camouflage from above (in the air) or below (in the sea), by having a dark back and a white front.
Special muscles at the base of their feathers hold them tight against the body when swimming to stay waterproof, and stand up when outside the water to trap an insulating layer of air.
Social organisation and mating system
Live in colonies
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Form socially monogamous pairs for breeding
Did you know that...?
They sound like donkeys when communicating with each other.
Taxonomy
Sources:
Maps from: http://species.mol.org/species/
"African penguin near Boulders Beach" by Paul Mannix - African penguin, near Boulders Beach, South Africa. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:African_penguin_near_Boulders_Beach.jpg#/media/File:African_penguin_near_Boulders_Beach.jpg
"Spheniscus demersus Jackass penguins" by Andrew massyn - Own work. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spheniscus_demersus_Jackass_penguins.jpg#/media/File:Spheniscus_demersus_Jackass_penguins.jpg
"African penguin near Boulders Beach" by Paul Mannix - African penguin, near Boulders Beach, South Africa. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:African_penguin_near_Boulders_Beach.jpg#/media/File:African_penguin_near_Boulders_Beach.jpg
"Spheniscus demersus Jackass penguins" by Andrew massyn - Own work. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spheniscus_demersus_Jackass_penguins.jpg#/media/File:Spheniscus_demersus_Jackass_penguins.jpg