Penguin Basics

The largest living species of penguin is the emperor penguin, weighing up to 45kg, while the smallest in the little blue penguin, weighing in at just 1.1kg. Although most associated with the Antarctic, only five species set foot on the ice there and only two exclusively call it home. All other species of penguin live in a wide variety of habitats, from the warm beaches of South Africa’s Western Cape to rocky islands off New Zealand to the barren shores of Chile’s Atacama Desert, each uniquely adapted to its environment. Generally, larger penguins tend to live in cold environments, while smaller ones tend to be found sunning themselves in more temperate and tropical locales.

Penguins eat krill, fish, squid and other crustaceans, adapting their diet to what is available. To catch food, larger penguins can dive up to 250 metres deep, though the majority of dives tend to be in the top 10 metres of water. It is their feathers, which are kept well-oiled, that both keep penguins dry and warm and exceptionally streamlined in the water, allowing the bigger species to swim up to 15 kilometres an hour. Every year a penguin will have a catastrophic moult, replacing all their feathers. At this time, they must stay out of the water, putting on 50-70% of their body weight in fat to make up for their inability to hunt.

Sociable both on land and at sea, all penguins live in colonies, known as rookeries, and breed on exposed rock, beaches, tussock grass or sea ice, depending on the species. Most penguin species mate monogamously for a breeding season and may return to the same partner for several years, though Macaroni and Magellanic penguins can form lifelong bonds. Penguins pair up by the carrying out of courtship rituals which vary by species, but can involve the gifting of a pebble, bowing or calling. Once an egg has been laid, both the male and female penguin will incubate it, either together or taking it in turns (except emperors, where just the male incubates). Once the egg is hatched, both the male and female will take turns in feeding and caring for the chick until it develops its waterproof feathers and can learn to swim and hunt. 

Penguins of Antarctica

Considered the emblem of the Antarctic, not all species of penguins spend time in and around the continent’s icy waters. The emperor penguin and Adelie penguin both live here exclusively – the emperor penguin breeds on the sea ice during the Antarctic winter! - while gentoo, chinstrap and macaroni penguins are found around the continent’s northern reaches and the sub-Antarctic islands. Rockhoppers, Magallanics and kings, enjoy the warmer climes of the sub-Antarctic islands like the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the New Zealand Subantarctic Islands.

Across the Antarctic continent, there are estimated to be 20 million breeding pairs, concentrated around coastal areas. These rookeries are larger than some cities and are apparently smellable for quite a long way away! All Antarctic penguins are the quintessential black and white colouring, with any colours or distinguishing features on their heads and necks.

Several Antarctic penguins are considered a ‘threatened’ species, including rockhopper and macaroni, likely due to huge scale commercial fishing in the Southern Ocean, which leads to species competing for food, plus accidental capture and drowning in fishing nets. All Antarctic penguins are threatened by climate change and the consequences of changes to the continent’s sea ice.

Where to See Penguins

Penguins are found across the Southern Hemisphere in a range of ecosystems, from as far south as Antarctica itself to as far north as the Galapagos Islands, where the rare Galapagos penguin lives. The most accessible colonies of penguins are in South Africa, around Cape Town, and in Australia on Phillip Island. They are also spottable around New Zealand, Patagonia on the southern tip of the South American continent, and the remote islands of the sub-Antarctic, like South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. Wherever it is that you get to see them, spotting penguins in their natural habitat is a magical experience, whether they are waddling around on beaches, sliding on ice or streaking through the water on the hunt for fish.

How to See Penguins with Wendy Wu Tours

Wendy Wu Tours offers tours that include destinations where penguins live, such as South Africa and Patagonia. We also have tour extensions and short stays that will take you to the wildlife-lovers paradise of the Galapagos Islands, and ‘Cruise & Tour’ itineraries that includes an epic adventure across the Drake Passage to Antarctica. You can see these tours below: