Page 153 - World of Animals - Book of Sharks & Ocean Predators

Penguins
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5. They molt 10. The Little The littlest
penguin
at an unusually The Little Penguin’s
small size o en
fast rate Penguin is leaves it vulnerable
Not many people are aware that to predators such as
lizards, stoats and
penguins, like all birds, molt 13 inches tall even pets.
their feathers. In the penguin’s
case, molting generally occurs
annually and all in one go, which Penguins on average
measure between two
is referred to as a catastrophic LITTLE PENGUIN and three feet in height,
Eudyptula minor
molt. This results in each Class Aves
species completely shedding its but this fi gure means
nothing to the Little
outer layer of feathers quickly Penguin – a species
and with spectacular results,
with a penguin mid-molt looking Territory South coast of that averages a paltry
33 centimetres (13
like an exploding pillow. Australia, coastal New Zealand
Diet Carnivore inches) in height when
Lifespan 6-7 years fully grown.
6. Males and Adult weight 1.5kg / 3.3lbs Due to its small size,
Conservation Status
females look the Little Penguin is
often also commonly
identical referred to as the
LEAST CONCERN
Most penguin species are not fairy penguin, with
sexually dimorphic. This means the animal’s small size
that both the males and females and low weight – individuals struggle to break 1.5
are identical in appearance with kilograms (3.3 pounds) – granting them a cute and
regards to both their plumage friendly appearance. Like most seabirds Little Penguin
and colouration. have a long lifespan, with the average being 6.5 years.

The Little Penguin was first discovered and
7. They do not recorded in 1781 CE and today is a well-established
species, with 350,000-600,000 individuals estimated
have teeth to exist in their natural habitat. Indeed, the little
Rather than teeth, a penguin has penguin population is well dispersed, with
hundreds of spines on the top the animal found on New Zealand,
and bottom interior of its beak. Australia, the Chatham Islands, as
These spines help the penguin well as some sightings in Chile and Australia
hold slippery, moving prey, even sporadically in South Africa.
particularly fish. Unfortunately, however, due to this

species’ establishment on national
8. Every mainlands, they are frequently killed
by cats, lizards, foxes and stoats.
penguin lives These attacks typically come when
in the Southern the little penguin is at its on-shore Little Penguin range
nest, which it returns to each evening
Hemisphere with food harvested from the ocean.
Every species of penguin lives
in the Southern Hemisphere,
ranging from the continent
of Antarctica through to the
relatively warmer waters of the
Galapagos Islands. 11. They toboggan when
leaving the water
9. The All penguin species are capable of tobogganing, which is
Magellanic is essentially where the bird lies on its stomach and propels

itself horizontally across the ice, with its flippers and
named after feet acting as the propelling mechanisms.
Tobogganing is not only a much faster form
Ferdinand of travel for penguins – whose large bodies,
Magellan short legs and webbed feet make walking
The Magellanic penguin cumbersome – but it also helps the animal
(Spheniscus magellanicus) conserve more energy, which is so
was named by its discoverer, precious in its o en unforgiving habitat.

Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Penguins are capable of sliding

Magellan. The adventurer with minimal effort across flat or
stumbled upon the species in descending inclines. They even use
RIGHT When
around 1520 CE, along with a this tobogganing method to quickly penguins toboggan,
range of other species that had escape predators such as seals and they are not only
gone undiscovered. sea lions, who don’t posses the same conserving energy,
but can also evade
ability and so cannot keep up with predators much faster
their prey. than by waddling
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