Earth Touch Blog

Photography

Flickr group: pic of the day – rockhopper penguin May 29 2008

Rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome) are native to Argentina, Australia, South Africa, Chile, the Falkland Islands, Uruguay and New Zealand. There are also vagrant populations in Antarctica and Brazil.

Did you know?

Did you know? African penguin May 12 2008

Formerly known as the jackass penguin, the African penguin (Spheniscus dermersus) got its original name from its call, which is uncannily similar to that of a donkey.

African penguins are endemic to the Southern African countries of South Africa and Namibia, and mostly occur within a few kilometeres of the coastline. Non-breeding birds spend most of their time at sea.

Photography

Flickr group: pic of the day – gentoo penguin Apr 24 2008

Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) are an easily recognisable species, because of the distinctive white stripe across their foreheads. According to the International Union for Conservation, they are native in Antarctica; Argentina; Australia; Falkland Islands (Malvinas); French Southern Territories (Crozet Island, Kerguelen); Heard Island and McDonald Islands; South Africa (Marion and Prince Edward Islands); South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. They are currently classified as near threatened.

Did you know?

Did you know? African penguins Nov 14 2007

The African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) is the only species of penguin found in Africa. These aquatic birds are now vulnerable to extinction, with about 56000 breeding pairs left in the world. It is believed that there were 1.5-million penguins on Dassen Island alone (about halfway between Table Bay and Saldanha Bay, on the west coast of South Africa) at the beginning of the 20th Century.

Penguins are known to adapt to very cold climates, but the African penguin is adapted to survive in the temperate climate of Africa. To cope with the heat, African penguins are active at breeding sites during the cooler hours of early morning and evening and spend much of the day in the sea.

Wildlife news from around the world

Do penguins pick their teams? Oct 17 2007

Do penguins team up with the same group of individuals when they cross the beach and go fishing? New Scientist reports that researchers led by André Chiaradia of the Phillip Island Nature Park in Victoria, Australia, recorded the groupings of micro-chipped little penguins (Eudyptula minor) over four breeding seasons.