Emperor Penguin
- GENUS SPECIES
- Eudyptes pachyrhynchus
- SIZE
- 1.1 m (3.7 ft.), 41 kg (90 lbs.)
- DISTRIBUTION
- subantarctic islands and New Zealand
- PREY
- small fishes, crustaceans, cuttlefish
- PREDATORS
- New Zealand fur seals, stoats (weasel relatives), weka (rail bird)
- POPULATION
- 238,000 breeding pairs in 46 colonies. Seven additional colonies have been discovered but the population figures have not been adjusted.
- CURRENT STATUS
- IUCN classifies this species as Near Threatened; ESA list this species as Under Review
The distribution of emperor penguins is circumpolar on the Antarctic continent within limits of the pack ice.
King Penguin
- GENUS SPECIES
- Aptenodytes patagonicus
- SIZE
- 94 cm (37 in.), 13.5-16 kg (30-35 lb.)
- DISTRIBUTION
- subantarctic islands and peninsulas, usually forage in ice-free waters
- PREY
- squids, fishes
- PREDATORS
- leopard seals, skuas, giant petrels, gulls, sheathbills
- POPULATION
- 1,600,000 breeding pairs
- CURRENT STATUS
- IUCN classifies this species as Least Concern
King penguins are found on subantarctic islands and peninsulas. They usually forage for food in ice-free waters.
Adélie Penguin
- GENUS SPECIES
- Pygoscelis adeliae
- SIZE
- 46-61 cm (18-24 in.), 3.5-4.5 kg (8-10 lb.)
- DISTRIBUTION
- circumpolar on Antarctic continent within limits of pack ice
- PREY
- primarily krill, also squids and fishes
- PREDATORS
- leopard seals, skuas, sheathbills
- POPULATION
- 7,580,000 individuals
- CURRENT STATUS
- IUCN classifies this species as Least Concern
Adélie penguin distribution is circumpolar on the Antarctic continent within the limits of the pack ice.
Gentoo Penguin
- GENUS SPECIES
- Pygoscelis papua
- SIZE
- 61-76 cm (24-30 in.), 5.5-6.5 kg (12-14 lb.)
- DISTRIBUTION
- circumpolar in subantarctic and antarctic waters; avoids pack ice and continental coasts (except near the Antarctic Peninsula)
- PREY
- krill, squid
- PREDATORS
- skuas, leopard seals, antarctic fur seals, New Zealand sea lions, Southern sea lions
- POPULATION
- 774,000 individuals
- CURRENT STATUS
- IUCN classifies this species as Least Concern
Gentoo penguin distribution is circumpolar in subantarctic and Antarctic waters. They avoid pack ice and most continental coasts with the exception of the Antarctic Peninsula.
Chinstrap Penguin
- GENUS SPECIES
- Pygoscelis antarcticus
- SIZE
- 46-61 cm (18-24 in.), 4 kg (9 lb.)
- DISTRIBUTION
- antarctic and South American islands
- PREY
- krill, small fishes
- PREDATORS
- leopard seals, skuas, sheathbills
- POPULATION
- 8,000,000 individuals
- CURRENT STATUS
- IUCN classifies this species as "least concern"
Chinstrap penguins are found on Antarctic and South American islands.
Rockhopper Penguin
- GENUS SPECIES
- Southern rockhopper, Eudyptes chrysocome; Northern rockhopper, Eudyptes moseleyi
- SIZE
- 41-46 cm (16-18 in.), 2.5 kg (5-6 lb.)
- DISTRIBUTION
- subantarctic islands (Southern rockhopper on the Falkland Islands and islands offshore of Chile and Argentina; Northern rockhopper in the South Atlantic Ocean on Gough Island and islands in Tristan da Cunha and also in the southern Indian Ocean on Amsterdam and St. Paul Islands.
- PREY
- fishes, squids, krill
- PREDATORS
- New Zealand fur seals, New Zealand sea lions, Southern sea lions, skuas, gulls
- POPULATION
- Southern rockhopper 2,500,000 individuals; Northern rockhopper 480,600 individuals
- CURRENT STATUS
- IUCN classifies the Southern rockhopper as Vulnerable and the Northern rockhopper as Endangered; ESA lists the Southern rockhopper as Threatened and the Northern rockhopper as Not Listed
Rockhopper penguins are found on subantarctic islands.
Royal Penguin
- GENUS SPECIES
- Eudyptes schlegeli
- SIZE
- 66-76 cm (26-30 in.), 5.5 kg (12 lb.)
- DISTRIBUTION
- Macquarie, Bishop, and Clerk Islands in the Southern Ocean
- PREY
- squids, krill
- PREDATORS
- New Zealand fur seals, skuas, giant petrels
- POPULATION
- 1,700,000 individuals
- CURRENT STATUS
- IUCN classifies this species as Near Threatened
Royal penguins are found on the Macquarie, Bishop and Clerk Islands in the Southern Ocean as well as around the New Zealand coast.
Erect-Crested Penguin
- GENUS SPECIES
- Eudyptes sclateri
- SIZE
- 64 cm (25 in.), 2.5-3.5 kg (6-8 lb.)
- DISTRIBUTION
- breed only on the Antipodes and Bounty Islands of New Zealand
- PREY
- probably squids, fishes
- PREDATORS
- possibly New Zealand sea lions, New Zealand fur seals, Australian sea lions
- POPULATION
- 150,000 individuals
- CURRENT STATUS
- IUCN classifies this species as Endangered; ESA lists this species as Threatened
Erect-crested penguins are found along the coasts of Australia, New Zealand and on the Antipodes and Bounty Islands.
Macaroni Penguin
- GENUS SPECIES
- Eudyptes chrysolophus
- SIZE
- 51-61 cm (20-24 in.), 4.5 kg (10 lb.)
- DISTRIBUTION
- subantarctic islands in the Atlantic and Indian oceans
- IDENTIFICATION
- A crest of orange plumes extends backwards
- Prey
- squids and krill
- Predators
- leopard seals, antarctic fur seals, skuas, sheathbills
- Population
- estimated 6.3 breeding pairs
- CURRENT STATUS
- IUCN classifies this species as Vulnerable
Macaroni penguins are found on subantarctic islands in the Atlantic and Indian oceans.
Fiordland Crested Penguin
- GENUS SPECIES
- Eudyptes pachyrhynchus
- SIZE
- 61 cm (24 in.), 2.5-3 kg (6-7 lb.)
- DISTRIBUTION
- subantarctic islands and New Zealand
- PREY
- small fishes, crustaceans, cuttlefish
- PREDATORS
- New Zealand fur seals, stoats (weasel relatives), weka (rail bird)
- POPULATION
2,500 to 9,999 individuals
- CURRENT STATUS
- IUCN classifies this species as Vulnerable; ESA list this species as Threatened
Fiordland crested penguins are found on subantarctic islands and New Zealand.
Snares Island Penguin
- GENUS SPECIES
- Eudyptes robustus
- SIZE
- 64 cm (25 in.), 2.5-3 kg (6-7 lb.)
- DISTRIBUTION
- south of New Zealand in the Snares Islands (all within 3 sq. km)
- PREY
- krill, squids, fishes
- PREDATORS
- New Zealand sea lions
- POPULATION
- 63,000 individuals
- CURRENT STATUS
- IUCN classifies this species as Vulnerable
Snares Island penguins are found south of New Zealand in the Snares Islands which encompasses just 3 square kilometers.
Yellow-Eyed Penguin
- GENUS SPECIES
- Megadyptes antipodes
- SIZE
- 76 cm (30 in.), 6 kg (3 lb.)
- DISTRIBUTION
- southeast New Zealand
- PREY
- fishes and squids
- PREDATORS
- New Zealand sea lions, domestic predators (prey on chicks)
- POPULATION
- 2,528 to 3,480 individuals
- CURRENT STATUS
- IUCN classifies this species as Endangered
Yellow-eyed penguins are found in southeast New Zealand.
Magellanic Penguin
- GENUS SPECIES
- Spheniscus magellanicus
- SIZE
- 61-71 cm (24-28 in.), 5 kg (11 lb.)
- DISTRIBUTION
- Falkland Islands and along the coasts of Chile and Argentina
- PREY
- small fishes, cuttlefish
- PREDATORS
- Southern sea lions, leopard seals, Patagonian foxes)
- POPULATION
- between 1.1 and 1.6 million breeding pairs
- CURRENT STATUS
- IUCN classifies this species as Near Threatened
Magellanic penguins are found on the Falkland Islands and along the coasts of Chile and Argentina.
African Penguin (formerly Black-Footed Penguin)
- GENUS SPECIES
- Spheniscus demersus
- SIZE
- 61-71 cm (24-28 in.), 3 kg (7 lb.)
- DISTRIBUTION
- South African waters
- PREY
- mostly anchovies, sardines but also other fishes, squids, and crustaceans
- PREDATORS
- South African fur seals, Southern sea lions, octopus, sharks, sacred ibis, gulls
- POPULATION
- 50,000 individuals
- CURRENT STATUS
- IUCN classifies this species as Endangered; ESA lists this species as Endangered
African penguins are found in South African waters.
Little Penguin (also known as Fairy or Little Blue Penguin)
- GENUS SPECIES
- Eudyptula minor
- SIZE
- 41–45 cm (16–19 in.), about 1 kg (2 lb.)
- DISTRIBUTION
- southern Australia and New Zealand
- PREY
- small fishes
- PREDATORS
- Australian sea lions, fur seals, dogs, cats, stoats, ferrets
- POPULATION
- 469,760 individuals
- CURRENT STATUS
- IUCN classifies this species as Least Concern
Little penguins are found along the coasts of southern Australia and New Zealand.
Humboldt Penguin
- GENUS SPECIES
- Spheniscus humboldti
- SIZE
- 56-66 cm (22-26 in.), 4 kg (9 lb.)
- DISTRIBUTION
- islands off western South America, and along the coasts of Peru and Chile
- PREY
- anchovetta (small fish)
- PREDATORS
- possibly sharks and Southern sea lions
- POPULATION
- 32,000 individuals
- CURRENT STATUS
- IUCN classifies this species as Vulnerable; ESA lists this species as Threatened
Humboldt penguins are found on islands off of western South America and along the coasts of Peru and Chile.
Galápagos Penguin
- GENUS SPECIES
- Spheniscus mendiculus
- SIZE
- 53 cm (21 in.), about 2.5 kg (5-6 lb.)
- DISTRIBUTION
- Galápagos Islands
- PREY
- small fishes
- PREDATORS
- sharks, eared barn owls, Galápagos hawk, feral cats, dogs
- POPULATION
- 1,200 individuals
- CURRENT STATUS
- IUCN classifies this species as Endangered; ESA lists this species as Endangered
Galápagos penguins are found on the Galápagos Islands and off the coast of Ecuador on the equator.
