Week 15
Discussion
About Penguins
Penguin Varieties
Imagine a penguin taller than most men. Fossil remains of such creatures have been found in Antarctica. Projecting their height and weight based on comparison with modern penguins, the "colossus penguin", the largest ever found, would have been up to six feet eight inches in height and weigh 250 pounds. It lived around 37 million years ago and is among many penguin species that are no longer with us. Today, there are an estimated 17 to 19 extant penguin species, classified into 6 genera.
Some Penguin Species
Emperor Penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri)
The largest extant penguin is the emperor penguin.
Like all penguins, the emperor penguin is a bird with feathers and wings. Its wings are useless for flying through the air, but under water, they assist penguins be marvelous swimmers. The picture below is not of an emperor penguin (it is probably an African penguin), but it is a good example of penguin wings-turned-flippers in action.
Emperor penguin males and females are similar in appearance, height, and weight. They grow up to about 43 to 47 inches in length and weigh from 50 to 100 pounds. Males are heavier than females. Their black and white "tuxedo" coloration is ideal camouflage for underwater work. They have yellow patches around the ears and neck.
Emperors live in Antarctica. They are the only penguin species that breeds during the winter there. Like most penguins, mating pairs are monogamous. Females lay one egg that is then incubated by the male while females hunt for food. Males don't eat during the 2-month incubation period. After checks are hatched, parents take turns caring for them in penguin colonies.
Emperor penguins can swim underwater without breathing for up to 20 minutes and can dive over 1,700 feet deep. Penguins have the ability to launch themselves into the air when returning to land.
Small Penguin (Eudyptula minor)
The Small penguin, otherwise known as the blue penguin or little blue penguin is the smallest penguin species.
Habitants of New Zealand, adult little penguins grow to 12 to 13 inches tall and weigh roughly 3.3 pounds.
King Penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus)
Back to the larger penguin species, the king penguin is second in size only to the closely related emperor penguin. King penguins live and breed on sub-Antarctic islands. A little shorter and lighter weight than emperors, the ranges of king penguins and emperor penguins do not overlap except for chance encounters at sea. There are well over 2 million breeding pairs of king penguins who live in large colonies.
The total population of king penguins is increasing, but something strange is happening in the colony on the Crozet Islands in the border region between the southern Indian Ocean and Antarctic Ocean. A census in the 1980s found around a half million breeding pairs of king penguins. By 2017, the breeding population had dropped to about 60,000 pairs. Though the reason hasn't been confirmed, some believe that global warming may have something to do with the decline. This may be similar to what scientists now know is happening to African penguins.
Threatened Penguins
Five penguin species are currently endangered and are at risk of extinction. These are the erect-crested penguin, the yellow-eyed penguin, the Galápagos penguin, the African penguin (this week's painting subject), and the northern rockhopper penguin, pictured below.
Occupants of islands in the southern Indian and Atlantic oceans, the total population of northern rockhopper penguins has dropped 90% since the 1950s. Again, climate change is suspected to having a role.
African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus)
Climate change, along with over-fishing of African penguins' primary feeding grounds, has been confirmed as the cause of the population decline of the African penguin population. Warming waters off the coasts of Namibia and South Africa where African penguins live have caused their preferred food (sardines, mackerels, herrings, and anchovies) to move elsewhere, much further away from penguin colonies. The penguins continue to hunt in their traditional areas and only find mostly low value foods.
When African penguins do find fish, they work cooperatively to herd them into closely packed schools to make subsequent eating quick and efficient.
The total African penguin population has declined approximately 95% since pre-industrial times, with the rate of reduction increasing rapidly since the year 2000. It is estimated by some that African penguins may be extinct in the wild by 2026. Zoos around the world help to maintain the species in captivity. The fellow (or gal) below is a member of a small colony at the San Diego Zoo where a small but successful breeding program is underway.
Adults weigh 5 to 7½ pounds and range from 24 to 28 inches tall. It has pink patches above the eyes.
The zoo's exhibit in the Africa Rocks area features artificial nesting facilities and plenty of water to swim around.
What came first, the penguin or the egg? As far as individual African penguins are concerned, the egg is where it all begins.
Actual penguin awareness doesn't begin until newborns are hatched.
As with other penguins, parents take turns caring for baby chicks. Unlike emperor penguins, African penguins lay two eggs on average.
It doesn't take long for chicks to turn into teenagers, relatively speaking.
The African penguin lifecycle is a busy one. The chart below summarizes it.
It seems a busy life, and don't think that African penguins put up with it without a squawk.
The sound they make gives them their alternative name of jackass penguin. Another name is black-footed penguin.
Artwork
Penguins being scarce in Japan (they only live in the southern hemisphere), I was unable to find any examples of classical Japanese artwork featuring penguins. I do have permission, however, to use artwork of my painting master, Washu "Suzi" Reyolds. She taught here at SDCCD Continuing Education for many years. Washu sensei was the founder of the Washi Kai organization of which I am a member. The picture below, titled Penguin Family, is from her book, A Guide to Japanese Sumi Painting, 2nd Ed. (1990). She includes a note that each penguin should have a different facial expression.
