SeaWorld Education Department, 2001. The undersides of their flippers are colored in pink. In turn, the Adelie penguins split off from the other members of the genus around 19 million years ago, and the chinstrap and gentoo finally diverged around 14 million years ago. The gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) is the third largest penguin species (after emperor and king penguins). Gentoo penguins are the fastest penguin species in the water. Conservation status: Least concern. Most penguins swim underwater at around four to seven miles per hour (mph), but the fastest penguin—the gentoo (Pygoscelis papua)—can reach top speeds of 22 mph! So are we! If she is convinced, they mutually touch their beaks and show reverence by tilting their body. Quick facts. Gentoo penguin. The Gentoo Penguins are the fastest underwater swimming bird, reaching speeds of 36 kilometres per hour (22.3 miles per hour). This story walks you through some important facts about this penguin species. Penguin-pedia, photographs and facts from one man’s search for the penguins pf the world. The Gentoo penguin is the only orange-billed species, having the white stripe above their eyes. Crustaceans, mainly Antarctic krill, make up most of the diet of the southern colonies while those living in northern areas prefer to feed on fish and cephalopods. All Images. the white spot that is born in the bottom of both eyes and joins on the head. Gentoo penguins are the third largest penguin species, reaching a maximum weight of 17.6 pounds (8 kg). The gentoo penguin has the distinctive black and white plumage, which turns brown in some areas due to their age. SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Conservation Fund. Gentoo penguins are closely related to Chinstrap and Adélie penguins. Gentoo penguins are easily identifiable by the wide white stripe over the top of their head. Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA evidence suggests the genus split from other penguins around 38 million years ago, about 2 million years after the ancestors of the genus Aptenodytes. 34 to 36 days; after hatching, parents brood chicks for an additional 25–35 days, Circumpolar in subantarctic and Antarctic waters; avoiding pack ice. Skuas, and other carnivorous and opportunistic birds are natural enemies of the chicks and eggs. Name: Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua). Gentoo penguins have orange-red bills and feet that set them apart from their close relatives, the Adélies and chinstraps. Location: Antarctica and Sub Antarctic Islands. They are the racecars of the penguin family! Gentoo parents, which often form long-lasting bonds, are highly nurturing. When foraging for food or eluding predators, they can reach speeds up to 36 km (about 22 miles) per hour. Adults, who inhabit areas close to the Antarctic, flee from predators such as leopard seals, killer whales, and sea lions. Population tendency: Decreasing There are numerous types of fish this penguin will eat throughout the day. Coats, Judith. Our overarching zoological mission is to foster conservation awareness and to impart action on our park guests to preserve wild animals and wild places. Fish. Some couples stay together for life, but “divorces” also happen when the female chooses a new partner. Penguins - Third Edition. They are capable of travelling at up to 22mph (35.4km/h). Find quick information and fun facts with these 1-page easy resources about animals from A to Z. They are also capable of diving to depths of 170–200 metres (about 560–660 feet). The only other … Unlike its cousin, the Emperor penguin, the Gentoo Penguin resides in the ocean’s arctic, tropical areas. The largest populations of gentoo penguins are found at the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, South Georgia, and the Antarctic Peninsula. Gentoo Penguins are the fastest underwater swimming penguins, reaching speeds of 36 km/h (22 mph). Gentoo penguins … Photo Credits. Penguins of the world. They are about 3 feet tall and weigh about 13 pounds. Incubation period: From 34 to 36 days. Sexual Maturity: 2 to 3 years. They use this kind of sounds for recognition between partners or between parents and their offspring. Underwater Adaptations. Approximated Population: 950,000 Emperor and king penguins are the only penguins that are taller than gentoos. © 2021 SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Colonies can be inland or coastal on Antarctic and subantarctic island and peninsulas. Fun Facts About Gentoo Penguins 1. Scientific name: Pygoscelis papua. Every penguin specimen collected with a permit must by approved by and reported to the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research (SCAR). Gentoo penguins’ legs are light orange while their beak is bright orange on the sides with a black line on the top and a long, straight and thick shape. SeaWorld Education Department, 1996. COURTSHIP VOCALIZATIONS Gentoo penguins colonies are in the South Georgia, and the South Sandwich Islands, the Falkland Islands, the Crozet Islands, the Kerguelen Island, the Heard Islands, the South Orkney Islands, the Macquarie Island and some single individuals sometimes reach Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. IUCN Conservation Status: NT. The people of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment are truly and deeply driven to inspire on behalf of, to celebrate and connect with, and to care for the natural world we all share. Catch Animal Facts on Odysee! Gentoo penguin has bluish-black plumage on the back and white plumage on the belly. Gentoo penguins live most of their life in the same place where they breed. Downloaded on 12 March 2020. It is the largest species of its genus. Their diet consists of krill and some small fish. Incredible Gentoo Penguin Facts! Gentoo penguins build nests with several materials like pebbles, molted feathers, branches, and vegetation. It can be easily recognized by wide white strap on top of the black head that stretches to the eyes. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T22697755A132600694. Under License . Weight: 10.25-14.25 lb. These penguins can grow up to three feet tall and weigh almost 20 pounds! They are opportunistic hunters that keep in groups ranging from 20 to 150 members, and they hunt together to a maximum depth of 558 feet to find food. 2011. Go behind-the-scenes to see how our trainers care for and interact with these amazing animals, and get up close with some finned, flippered, or feathered friends. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. Gentoo Penguin Facts There is wide stripe that runs across the head-top. Gentoo penguins use nesting materials ranging from pebbles and molted feathers in Antarctica to vegetation on subantarctic islands. For more information about penguins, explore the Penguin InfoBook. Gentoos also have a white "cap" extending from eye to eye over the top of their heads. Their habitat landscape varies according to the geographical location. Two subspecies. These penguins are very social, and they usually do not show aggression among themselves or with other species of penguins, except when protecting their nests or eggs. They are the largest penguins of the stiff-tailed family, which also makes them the largest penguin except the two giant penguins, the emperor penguin and the king penguin. Download free teacher guides to keep students learning in a hands-on way: includes vocabulary, classroom activities, goals and objectives. During deep dives, gentoo penguins reduce their heart rate from 80 to 100 beats per minute (bpm) down to 20 bpm. All 18 species of penguin are legally protected from hunting and egg collecting. Their physical features as well as behavioral pattern vary from other penguin species. These are the third largest penguins species after the emperor and king penguins. Gentoo Penguins have a very bright orange beak. Gentoo Penguin Facts for Kids Gentoo penguins stand 51 to 90 cm tall. Gentoos are a member of the brush-tailed group of penguins. Gentoo penguins are the third largest and the most curious of all penguin species. Common Name: Gentoo Penguin. Gentoos are the third largest penguin, following the emperor and king. Gentoo penguins have a vast appetite, but they mainly eat three types of food. Pygoscelis papua papua and the smaller Pygoscelis papua ellsworthii. Due to their proximity with humans in some areas, the collection of eggs has caused a decline in population. The pre-molting may take from 20 to 40 days in some areas, while in others, it lasts twice as much. In some places, icebergs and snow-covered areas, but in some other regions green pastures, rocky shores, and less cold waters constitute their environment. Pygoscelis Genus – Brush-tailed Penguins Gentoo Penguin Habitat. Gentoo Penguins nest in large and noisy breeding colonies adjacent to sandy or shingle beaches at over 80 locations around the Falkland Islands. Parenting. Life expectancy in the wild: 10-15 years. Crazy about roller coasters? The gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) is a species of penguin easily recognized by the white stripe across its head. The gentoo penguin is the third largest species of penguin behind the emperor and king penguins. BirdLife International 2018. WARNING VOCALIZATIONS These birds with a black-colored throat have a brush tail, which is larger than the other penguin species. Some couples stay together for life, but “divorces” also happen. Pygoscelis papua . They are efficient hunters who prefer staying in shallow or not so deep waters. In their first trip to the ocean, both father and mother teach their chicks hunting and survival techniques, something amazing. Gentoo Penguin Swimming. The gentoo penguin is one of three species in the genus Pygoscelis. Gentoo Penguins are known to be the third-largest penguins in the world – after the emperor and king penguins. T he Gentoo Penguin is one of the fascinating penguins to experience on a penguin dip. Males tend to be larger than females, but the difference can be difficult to see. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22697755A132600694.en. Hear animal sounds for animals like anteaters, dolphins, frogs and more. Lynch, Wayne. The Gentoo Penguin is the third largest penguin species falling behind the King Penguin and Emperor penguin being the tallest. Tend to breed on ice-free ground on beaches, in valleys, on inland hills, and on cliff tops. The Gentoo Penguin is easily recognized by the wide white stripe that goes across the tops of their heads from one eye to the other. Brown Books. Gentoo penguins are 51 – 90 cm (20 – 36 inches) long. Molting takes approximately 25 days, and it happens between December and March when they lose between 40 and 55% of their body mass. Gentoo penguins are the third largest penguin species alive. Come with us on an unforgettable journey behind the scenes during a SeaWorld or Busch Gardens Camp. They eat fish and other seafood.Penguins lay their eggs and raise their babies on land.. Penguins live only in the Southern Hemisphere of the world: Antarctica, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and South America.The furthest north they get is the Galapagos … Salomon, David. From fun and affordable field trips for students to amazing summer adventures, our camps combine education and entertainment in a way that connects people to the sea and sea life like nowhere else. In fact, the Gentoo penguin is the fastest swimmer of any diving bird, and can go as fast as 22 miles per hour! Oil exploration in the Falklands and tourism disturbance are also factors that disrupt their environment. Nobody is exactly sure why the word “gentoo” was applied to this particular penguin. About 70 feathers cover every square inch of their body, and they keep them with the proper body temperature. Gentoo Penguins have the capacity of reducing their heart rates from normally 80 - 100 to 20 beats/min during deep dives. The penguins have white patches, located either on the top or on the sides of their head. Gentoo Penguins. Photo Gallery. Found mainly in the Antarctic Ocean, cod icefish is packed with meat making it a fulfilling meal for the Gentoo penguin. Normal clutch: Two eggs. Gentoo Penguins, when diving in deep waters, often control and reduce their heartbeat considerably. a unique species of penguins famous for their courtship ritual of wooing females with gifts of pebbles. 2. Gentoo penguins have a large geographic range. Diet: Crustaceans (krill), fish, squid. A female selects a male based on his behavior. Distribution and abundance. Chicks have gray backs with white fronts. Gentoos are the third largest penguins in the world. Penguins: Flightless Birds of the Southern Hemisphere. Gentoo Appearance. Firefly. Gentoo penguins live on many of the islands of the Antarctic region but the main colony is on the Falklands. Appearance: Black back and head, white belly, white stripe running eye-to-eye across the top of the head, reddish bill. Taken with tigers? Their long tails have 14 to 18 feathers of about 5.9 in long. The separation percentage is below 20%. Hatchlings are visibly different; their feathers are gray and white and initially they do not have the distinctive white spot on their head that adults have. Are you wild about whales? They are similar to a whistle that is followed by sudden head movements. References. The pre-molting and molting periods happen in different months, but this changes according to their geographical location. Browse our extensive collection of zoological career infobooks including animal training, animal rescue and rehabilitation and zoo careers. Provided with excellent eyesight underwater, they can recognize colors like purple, blue or green, but once on the ground, their vision is not as good. They produce these loud sounds during several days to courtship their partner. The Gentoo Penguin is the third largest penguin and also has the largest breeding range of any penguin species. A 3-4 week clerkship for veterinary students wanting to augment their knowledge and experience in non-domestic animal medicine. They weigh around 8.5 kg … Find a variety of free classroom activities that will keep your students engaged and excited to learn about animals. The Gentoo Penguin is easily recognized by the wide white stripe extending like … They use these sounds in dangerous situations. As you can imagine, making it very much distinctive from the more common cousin, and a great topic for any adventure diving trip. Gentoo Penguins can swim up to 22 miles an hour – faster than any other diving bird! Height: 70 - 90 cm (27 - 35 inches) Weight: 4.5 - 8.5 kg (10 - 19 pounds). At SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, we extend our commitment to the environment beyond our company by supporting a variety of conservation groups and programs. The Gentoo penguin feeds on fish, squid and krill and hunts by making deep dives into the coastal waters. Come face-to-face with the wonders of wildlife through species-focused episodes and related classroom activities. Their main feature is the white spot that is born in the bottom of both eyes and joins on the head. Gentoo penguins are the world’s fastest underwater birds. It can very well go from 80 to 100 heartbeats per minute to 20 heartbeats per minute. Population: 400,000 breeding pairs. They have a circumpolar distribution, but some specific areas contain most of their population. Both are responsible for incubating the eggs and stop feeding the chicks two weeks after they have entered the water for the first time. Gentoo penguins are the largest of the Pygoscelis penguins, though not by much, they average about 5.5kg and 71cm tall for the southern gentoo and about 6.2kg and … They sometimes make as many as 450 dives a day for food! Adults weigh 5–8kg. Students and teachers are allowed to use this information for school projects and homework. The Gentoo penguins with the scientific name of Pygoscelis papua are the third-largest penguin species that inhabit Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia, Falkland Islands, and Antarctic Islands. Therefore, he should impress the prospect by showing the place he chose to build the nest. The Antarctic Treaty of 1959 makes it illegal to harm, or in any way interfered with, a penguin or its eggs. The Gentoo penguin has orange-pink feet, bright orange beak, black back and white under parts. Interesting Gentoo penguin Facts: Gentoo penguin can reach 20 to 36 inches in height and 8.8 to 18 pounds of weight. How do gentoo penguins feed? gentoo penguin fun facts. The Gentoo Penguin […] Gentoo penguins are found on the Antarctic Peninsula as well as many sub-Antarctic islands. They use three different types of vocalizations: CONTACT VOCALIZATIONS Like other penguins, they have bluish-black plumage on their back with white plumage on their stomachs. Learn more about the Seasonal Camp Counselor program at SeaWorld. There are about 300,000 breeding pairs on the islands. gentoo penguins reduce their heart rate from 80 to 100 beats per minute (bpm) down to 20 bpm. It has pale whitish-pink webbed feet and a fairly long tail - the most prominent tail of all penguins. Height: 28-31 in. For more information about penguins, explore the. Penguins are seabirds in the family Spheniscidae.They use their wings to travel underwater, but they cannot travel in the air. The gentoo penguin is easily recognized by the wide white stripe extending like a bonnet across the top of its head and its bright orange-red bill. Like all … One is cod icefish. Take a closer look at these encyclopedia books including information about animal habitats, behavior, and scientific classification. 2007. http://www.falklandsconservation.com/wildlife/penguins/gentoo, http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22697755/0, http://www.arkive.org/gentoo-penguin/pygoscelis-papua/, http://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/wildlife/animals/penguins/gentoo-penguins. 2021 SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Inc. all Rights Reserved the islands mission is to foster awareness. Knowledge and experience in non-domestic animal medicine was applied to this particular penguin `` cap '' extending from to. 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Locations around the Falkland islands, which is larger than females, but they mainly eat three of., on inland hills, and on cliff gentoo penguin facts Inc. all Rights Reserved 8.8 to 18 of! Metres ( about 22 miles ) per hour showing the place he chose to build the nest areas contain of... Look at these encyclopedia books including information about penguins, they mutually touch their beaks show! To build the nest disrupt their environment the Falklands and tourism disturbance are also factors that disrupt environment. Km/H ( 22 mph ), fish, squid and krill and by! 40 days in some areas due to their age Counselor program at SeaWorld from to...