Gentoo Penguin
Known for its dashing swim speeds and charming pebble nests, the gentoo penguin thrives on ice-free shores and captures hearts with every waddle.
Facts about Gentoo Penguin
- Antarctica
- Antarctic Peninsula
- Falkland Islands
- South Georgia
- South Shetland Islands
- South America
- Argentina
Gentoo Penguin Quick Overview
Scientific Name: Pygoscelis papua
Population: Estimated at close 774,000 globally (IUCN)
Regions: Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic regions
Destinations: Falkland Islands, South Shetland Islands, Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia, Argentina
Average Length: Adult: Males: ~80–90 cm (2.6–3.0 ft), Females: ~75–85 cm (2.5–2.8 ft); Newborn: ~10–15 cm (0.3–0.5 ft)
Average Weight: Adult: Males: ~7.5–8.5 kg (16.5–18.7 lbs), Females: ~6.5–7.5 kg (14.3–16.5 lbs); Newborn: ~0.1–0.2 kg (0.2–0.4 lbs)
Diet Habits: Primarily krill, fish and squid
Gentoo Penguin Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Sphenisciformes
Family: Spheniscidae
Genus: Pygoscelis
Species: Pygoscelis papua
Gentoo Penguin Explorer Passport
English: Gentoo Penguin
Danish: Gentoopingvin
Chinese: 白眉企鹅
Swedish: Gentoopingvin
Finnish: Valkosilmäpingviini
Norwegian: Gentoopingvin
Polish: Pingwin białobrewy
Japanese: ジェンツーペンギン
Spanish: Pingüino papúa
French: Manchot papou
Unlocking the Secrets of the Gentoo Penguin
Where does the gentoo penguin live?
Gentoo penguins habitat usually are the flat, rocky beaches, cliffs, and coastal plains on the Antarctic Peninsula and sub-Antarctic islands. Major breeding colonies are found in the Antarctic Peninsula, Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and the South Shetland Islands. Discover all the amazing destinations available on Albatros Expeditions small ship cruises in Antarctica!
What does a gentoo penguin eat?
The gentoo penguin diet is predominantly on krill, fish, and squid.
How big is a gentoo penguin?
Gentoo penguins height are around 90 cm and weigh up to 8.5 kg. They are the third-largest penguin species after the emperor and king penguins.
What does a gentoo penguin look like?
It is easily identified by the wide white stripe resembling a hood between the eyes, the bright red beak, and its very long tail, which is the longest of all penguins.
How fast can a gentoo penguin swim?
The swimming speed of the Gentoo penguin is regarded as the fastest among all penguins, capable of reaching speeds of up to 36 km/h.
What is the gentoo penguin's lifespan?
Gentoo penguin lifespan usually ranges from 15 to 20 years.
What are the predators of the gentoo penguin?
Gentoo penguins predators include killer whales, leopard seals, and seabirds such as skuas and giant petrels.
How does the gentoo penguin nest?
Gentoo penguins nest in a very particular way. They build their nests from pebbles, rocks, moss, and feathers, with the females usually laying two eggs and incubating them for 34 to 37 days.
Why is the gentoo penguin endangered?
The Gentoo penguin population is actually stable and currently listed as ‘Least Concern’ by the IUCN. However, some other penguin species, such as the Macaroni Penguin and Emperor Penguin, face risks with their populations decreasing and are considered by the IUCN as ‘Vulnerable’ and ‘Near Threatened’, respectively.
Gentoo penguin feeding its chick on a rocky Antarctic shoreline
How Many of These 10 Gentoo Penguin Facts Did You Already Know?
Gentoo Penguin Fact #1:
Gentoo penguin colonies are large, but still, those animals are quite territorial regarding their nests!
Gentoo Penguin Fact #2:
Gentoos penguin sounds are honks used to communicate with their mates and chicks.
Gentoo Penguin Fact #3:
Baby gentoo penguins have grey or greyish-brown feathers, with white underparts
Gentoo Penguin Fact #4:
The gentoo penguin life cycle is composed by: breeding, nesting, incubation, chick rearing, and molting
Gentoo Penguin Fact #5:
Gentoo penguins are the quickest swimming species of penguin
Gentoo Penguin Fact #6:
Gentoo penguins range around the Antarctic and subantarctic regions
Gentoo Penguin Fact #7:
Gentoo penguins lay two eggs
Gentoo Penguin Fact #8:
It inhabits ice-free surfaces on the Antarctic Peninsula and the surrounding islands.
Gentoo Penguin Fact #9:
It prefers to build its nest with quite large stones among grass mounds.
Gentoo Penguin Fact #10:
Penguins have a rapid metabolism and defecate approximately every 20 minutes.
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