African Penguin (Jackass Penguin)

1. African Penguin (Jackass Penguin) • Species - Demersus • Class – Aves ( Birds) • Family - Spheniscidae • Phylum - Chordata

2. Class – Aves (Birds) Penguins are one of the most well-known animals in the world. They are members of the bird family. They are birds because they lay eggs, have feathers, and are warm-blooded animals. Most birds fly, but penguins do not fly. They use their flippers for swimming.

3. Habitat • Penguins are found in many different habitats, or places. They live from the frozen land of Antarctica to the sandy beaches of Africa. They live from the rocky coasts of South America to the coasts of New Zealand. African penguins are found on the south-western coast of Africa. These birds live in colonies on 24 islands between Namibia and Algoa Bay. Penguins have adapted to more habitats and climates than any other animal in the world.

4. African Penguins like warmer weather. Their habitats include rocky terrain with shrubbery to shade their nests during breeding time. Penguins always live by the sea because their diet consists of fish. Penguins spend most of their life in the sea.

5. Color • Like most penguins, Africans are countershaded, with black feathers on the back and white feathers on the front of their bodies. This is called protective coloration or camouflage. When a penguin floats on its belly in the water their enemies, such as a leopard seal or the killer whale can not see the penguin. This is because when the predator looks up through the water it can not see the penguin because the light shining through the water makes everything look white. This is also true for the black head and back. As the penguin floats in the water, its black coloring is hard to see in the water because the water also looks black. The black coloring on the back and head also helps the penguin soak in the warmth from the sun. They typically sport a white stripe encircling a black cheek and throat and a black horseshoe-shaped stripe across the chest. They also have featherless pink areas around the eyes.

6. Penguins are covered with waterproof feathers. The feathers are stiff, short and grow close together. These feathers grow over a thick coat of fluffy down. Penguins have a thick layer of blubber, or fat right under their skin. This blubber keeps them warm or insulated from the cold snow and icy waters they swim in.

7. Appendages • Penguins have long, flat flippers that help them swim and dive for fish, squid, and krill. They have very short legs that are set far back on their lower body. They stand upright and waddle when they walk. They have webbed feet for swimming. African Penguins can swim at speeds ranging from 4.3 to 15 miles per hour. They have a short wedged-shaped tail.

8. Penguins are amazing swimmers. When penguins float they use their flippers to paddle through the water. When they dive and swim they use their flippers to fly through the water. They use their flippers for swimming like other birds use their wings for flying. Most penguins can dive very deep and can hold their breath for many minutes. They have large round eyes that help them to see in the dark water. Penguins can swim up to hundreds of miles in search of food.

9. Penguins move over land by walking, jumping and sliding. Penguins that live on the ice can slide or go tobogganing on their bellies down hills and slopes. They lay down and push off with their flippers and slide across the ice. Penguins are also good jumpers. They can jump the height and width of their own bodies. They often hop or jump over rocks or holes.