Penguin Primer: The African Penguin

The African penguins are an amazing race of penguins in the sense that they are completed isolated from their other species. Instead of living in the colder climate areas like Antarctica, the African Penguin can be found on the Southwest coast of Africa. In fact, they live in the warmer and hotter climates with no difficulty which probably comes from their ability to adapt over time. While they may be one of the most interesting species of penguins because of their appearance and area of inhabitance, they are probably one of the least studied species of penguins.

The African Penguins do not look like the stereotypical penguin. While they are averaged penguins, they do not have the typical tuxedo suit although their outfit consists of mainly black with white under markings. African penguins have a white band on their cheek, and torpedo shaped bodies. They are quite small as they will averagely grow up to 18 inches tall, and will weigh only 7.5 pounds. While they may not look like the stereotypical penguin, they too can move at good rates in the water; in fact, a penguin can travel up to 20 miles per hour in the water.

The African penguin's diet consists mainly of fish and krill just like the other species. They eat fish like anchovies, and will eat up to one pound of food a day. That's quite a lot of food for an animal so small. They will normally search for their food near the coast of their home although they may often travel miles away from land in search of food if it is scarce.

African penguins have an interesting courtship relationship, and behavior. During courtship, the penguins will make an interesting donkey noise to attract their mate which also attracts scientists. They will mate from September to February, and will normally lay two eggs each year in burrows underneath the bare ground which will protect them from predators. Both male and female parents will share the responsibility of feeding and caring for the child.