PENGUINS OF THE WORLD

Penguins of the World

Most penguins are found in Antarctica, the Falklands and Southern South America. Surprisingly, there is also a colony of Jackass penguins in the Cape Town area of South Africa where the sea is very cold around the Cape. Nearly all my images were taken in the Falklands on different Islands. My favourites were Sea Lion Island and Pebble Island.

Penguins cannot fly but stiff flippers, webbed feet and shape make them expert swimmers. They spend most of the year in the ocean but come ashore to breed. Most lay 1 or 2 eggs in colonies eg Rockhoppers on flat ground. Some nest in burrows eg. Magellanics. Rarely Rockhoppers occur as albino (photo) and occasionally breed with a Macaroni Penguin which is rare in the Falklands. The largest in the Falklands are King Penguins which can be found at Volunteer Point.

Many species are threatened. This is because of climate change in Antarctica with melted sea ice. Also, commercial fishing in the Southern Ocean is causing reduced fish supplies.