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
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Sphenisciformes
Family: Spheniscidae
Genus: Pygoscelis
Species: Pygoscelis papua
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
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. Are you interested in seeing one of those lovely birds in one of our next excursions? Discover all the amazing destinations available on Albatros Expeditions small ship cruises in Antarctica!
The gentoo penguin diet is predominantly on krill, fish, and squid.
Gentoo penguins are around 90 cm in height and weigh up to 8.5 kg. They are the third-largest penguin species after the emperor and king penguins.
This coastal penguin of the Southern Hemisphere 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 penguin species.
Their swimming speed is regarded as the fastest among all penguins, capable of reaching speeds of up to 36 km/h.
Gentoo penguin lifespan usually ranges from 15 to 20 years.
Gentoo penguins predators include killer whales, leopard seals, and seabirds such as skuas and giant petrels.
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.
Besides their population being stable and currently listed as ‘Least Concern’ by the IUCN, other 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.
Fact #1: Their colonies are large, but still, those animals are quite territorial regarding their nests!
Fact #2: Gentoo penguin sounds are honks used to communicate with their mates and chicks.
Fact #3: Baby gentoo penguins have grey or greyish-brown feathers, with white underparts.
Fact #4: The gentoo penguin life cycle is composed by: breeding, nesting, incubation, chick rearing, and molting.
Fact #5: These seabirds are the quickest swimming species of penguin.
Fact #6: Gentoo penguins range around the Antarctic and subantarctic regions.
Fact #7: They lay two eggs.
Fact #8: It inhabits ice-free surfaces on the Antarctic Peninsula and the surrounding islands.
Fact #9: It prefers to build its nest with quite large stones among grass mounds.
Fact #10: These seabirds are known for having a rapid metabolism and defecate approximately every 20 minutes.
Join on an Antarctica adventure with Albatros Expeditions and witness the wonders of Antarctica wildlife!
