Penguins are one of the most beloved and iconic creatures on Earth, and for good reason!
These flightless birds are quirky, cute, and full of personality. Here are a few reasons why everyone loves penguins:
- They look funny: Penguins have a unique look with their black and white feathers, which makes them easily recognizable. Their tuxedo-like appearance and waddling walk are both adorable and humorous.
- They are excellent swimmers: Penguins are excellent swimmers and can dive to great depths in search of food. They use their flippers to paddle through the water and their bodies are built for maximum buoyancy and speed.
- They are social creatures: Penguins are highly social animals and live in large colonies. They communicate with each other using calls and gestures and are known to form close bonds with their partners and offspring.
- They are resilient: Penguins live in some of the harshest environments on Earth, including the frigid waters of Antarctica. Despite the harsh conditions, they have adapted to survive and raise their young in these challenging surroundings.
- They have personalities: Just like humans, each penguin has its own unique personality and quirks. They can be shy, curious, playful, or even mischievous!
So there you have it! Whether you love penguins for their funny appearance, swimming skills, social behavior, resilience, or personalities, these birds are sure to bring a smile to your face.
Let’s introduce you our penguin family
And as we, especially Miffa, are very fond of making friends wherever we go, we have many friends of this species.
Starting with big Pingüi Sorensen, an orphaned Adelie penguin who was adopted by a Norwegian marine biologist and grew up at the wrong pole, the North Pole.
Although Adelie penguins are not the fastest swimmers he is exceptional and despite his appearance (he is out of shape and retired) he has 32 medals from the Seabird Olympics.
The handsome penguin with the bow tie is Mr. Burung, a biologist and scientist, but very fond of testing his theories at cards and other games.
Roy came with Miffa and the rest of the expeditionaries, fed up with being at LockRoy’s base/shop.
And the little guys you see with the woolly hats are penguins from Ushuaia.
How many species of penguin are there?
In 2020, scientists published research that indicated that the two subspecies of Gentoo penguin should actually be classified as four separate species.
- King penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus
- Emperor penguin, Aptenodytes forsteri
- Adélie penguin, Pygoscelis adeliae
- Chinstrap penguin, Pygoscelis antarctica
- Gentoo penguin, Pygoscelis papua
- Little penguin, Eudyptula minor
- Magellanic penguin, Spheniscus magellanicus
- Humboldt penguin, Spheniscus humboldti
- Galápagos penguin, Spheniscus mendiculus
- African penguin, Spheniscus demersus
- Yellow-eyed penguin, Megadyptes antipodes
- Fiordland penguin, Eudyptes pachyrynchus
- Snares penguin, Eudyptes robustus
- Erect-crested penguin, Eudyptes sclateri
- Southern rockhopper penguin, Eudyptes chrysocome
- Northern rockhopper penguin, Eudyptes moseleyi
- Royal penguin, Eudyptes schlegeli
- Macaroni penguin, Eudyptes chrysolophus
Lot of them really.
One little example: Exchange of views in a parking lot
This tweet of a French lady and an African Penguin having a chat in a Parking lot (probably in Belgium if you look the cars plates) got viral.
Apparently this penguin is an actor and he has his own instagram: