AFRICAN PENGUIN
Spheniscus demersus
What’s Black and White and Cute All Over?
African penguins of course! In addition to making them look like they are dressed for a black-tie event, their black and white coloring is a means of camouflage called “countershading.” When swimming, their white bellies are hard to see from below, and their black backs blend into the waves when viewed from above. As stated in the name, African penguins are only found in Africa, along the coastline of Namibia and South Africa and a chain of islands between them. They are the only old-world penguins, and they spend the majority of their life at sea, coming to shore to molt, breed and raise their chicks.
Dropping More Than Just Feathers
Molting is the process when birds drop old feathers and grow in new feathers. For African penguins, a molt can last approximately three weeks. During this time, they’re dropping more than just their feathers, they’re dropping half their body weight! As their new feathers grow in, they are not yet waterproof, so the penguins can’t take to the water to feed. This means that for the three weeks they are molting, they are also fasting (not eating) and burning through their fat reserves. This can be a challenging time for penguins, so it is vital that they have enough food to build up their fat reserves to make it through the fast.
Chill Out!
Unlike their Antarctic counterparts, African penguins don’t have the luxury of lying on an iceberg to cool off. They do, however, have a set of adaptations that help them regulate their body temperature in warm climates. Patches of bare pink skin above their eyes allow blood circulating near the skin’s surface to be cooled by the air. Panting helps release body heat, as does standing tall, raising their heads and spreading their flippers. And by limiting their activity to dawn and dusk, African penguins avoid the midday heat.
Diet: fish, cephalopods, crustaceans
Habitat: coastlines, oceans
Weight: 4.6 – 8.2 lbs
Plan your visit today!
The Phoenix Zoo is one of the largest non-profit zoos in the U.S., caring for over 3,000 animals, with nearly 400 species represented, including many threatened/endangered species.
Plan your visit today!
The Phoenix Zoo is one of the largest non-profit zoos in the U.S., caring for over 3,000 animals, with nearly 400 species represented, including many threatened/endangered species.
