Penguin

Waggling tuxedo bird.

Black and white coloured flightless birds that are generaly viewed as cute and cuddly. Best known for the larger subspecies living on the ice on Antarctica. But the smaller cousins of the species also live in warmer climates on the islands in the southern parts of the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean. But also on the coast of South Africa and South America.

Predator

Penguins can't fly, and their walking ability, which some other flightless birds excel at, is also horrible. But to compensate penguins are extremely good, and agile swimmers. Which they need to be, as their prefered and only food source is fish.

Prey

Penguins themselves are also a potential food source for other birds, such as Seagulls, those evil birds like to eat the eggs, and prey on young penguins. But in the water, penguins are hunted by the big hunters from the seas such as Seals, Sharks and Orcas.

Research assistant

Penguins have shown a keen interested in science on Antarctica. And are often found inspecting what the Polar scientist are doing, checking their work and silently judging their results.

Name

Penguins are named after penguins by accidents, sailors exploring the world first thought they where related to the Pinguinus. A bird now extinct that was very similar in appearance and behaviour that lived in the northern hemisphere.

Scientific Name

Spheniscidae

Average Height

The largest species; Emperor Penguin, can get up to 110 cm tall.
The smalles species; Fairy penguin, only gets up to 30 cm.

Average Weight

The largest species; Emperor Penguin, can weigh up to 35 kg.
The smalles species; Fairy penguin, only gets to 1,2 kg.

Geographic Distribution

• Antarctic Ocean
• Antarctica

Related Ethnicities

• Polar scientist

Local wildlife inspecting if everything goes according to protocol by Energy gov via wikimedia commons

Scientist interviewing a penguin by CORE Education via wikimedia commons

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