African Penguin

He suspected that they had been collected near the Cape of Good Hope. When in 1758 the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus updated his Systema Naturae for the tenth edition, he placed the African penguin with the wandering albatross in the genus Diomedea. Linnaeus included a brief description, coined the binomial name Diomedea demersa and cited Edwards' work.

The African penguin is now placed with the banded penguins in the genus Spheniscus that was introduced in 1760 by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson. The genus name Spheniscus is from Ancient Greek word σφήν (sfēn) meaning "wedge" and is a reference to the animal's thin, wedge-shaped flippers. The specific epithet demersus is Latin meaning "plunging" (from demergere meaning "to sink").

African penguins grow to 60–70 cm (24–28 in) tall and weigh between 2.2–3.5 kg (4.9–7.7 lb). The beak length of the African penguin varies, usually growing between 20 and 30 cm (7.9 and 11.8 in). They have a black stripe and black spots on the chest, the pattern of which is unique to each penguin, like human fingerprints. The sweat glands above the eyes cool the birds' blood, and as the temperature rises, increased blood flow causes the glands to get pinker.

This species exhibits slight sexual dimorphism; the males are slightly larger than the females and have longer beaks. Juveniles do not possess the bold, delineated markings of adults but instead have dark upperparts that vary from grayish-blue to brown; the pale underparts lack both spots and the band. The beak is more pointed than that of the Humboldt penguin. The African penguin's coloring is a form of protective coloring known as countershading. The white undersides of the birds are difficult to spot by predators under the water, and the penguins' black backs blend in with the water when viewed from above.

In order to catch fish more easily, African penguins hunt collectively, herding them all toward the surface. The African penguin is a pursuit diver and feeds primarily on fish and squid.

African penguins hunt in open waters, where they consume marine invertebrates like squids and tiny crustaceans, mostly krills and shrimp, as well as pelagic fish like sardines (especially the blue pilchard), Cape horse mackerels, red-eye round herrings, and anchovies (particularly the European and Southern African anchovies). Penguins typically swim 20 kilometers (12 mi) from the coast. When rearing older chicks, a penguin's daily prey consumption can reach over 1 kilogram (2.2 lb), from as little as 540 grams (1.19 lb).

African penguins reproduce in colonies and are monogamous, returning to the same location annually in pairs. Its long breeding season typically peaks from November to December in Namibia and from March to May in South Africa. Two eggs are placed in a clutch in tunnels made of guano or in nests in the sand behind rocks or shrubs. Both parents contribute equally to the 40 days or so of incubation. The chicks are cared for by at least one parent for around a month, after which they join a crèche with other young birds and both parents spend the most of the day foraging in the ocean.

The primary predators of African penguins at sea include sharks and fur seals. While nesting: kelp gulls, Cape genets, mongooses, caracals and domestic cats and dogs may prey on the penguins and their chicks.

Because they mate in colonies and return to the same location year after year, African penguins are monogamous. Nesting often peaks between March and May in South Africa and November and December in Namibia, indicating its long breeding season.

A clutch of two eggs is laid in nests in the sand behind bushes or boulders, or in tunnels dug in guano. For about 40 days, both parents participate equally in the incubation process. After a month or so of being watched over by at least one parent, the chicks enter a crèche with other chicks, and both parents spend the most of the day foraging in the water.

Depending on environmental factors including food quality and availability, chicks fledge between 60 and 130 days. After that, the fledged chicks spend the following year or almost two years at sea alone. After that, they go back to their birth colony to change into adult feathers.

Adults are largely resident, but some movements occur in response to prey movements. Adults generally remain within 400 km of their breeding locality, although they have been recorded up to 900 km away. They breed and moult on land before taking to the sea, where they can remain for up to four months.

Mainland penguin colonies likely became possible only in recent times due to the reduction of predator numbers, although the Betty's Bay colony has been attacked by leopards.

On gaining independence, juveniles disperse up to 2,000 km from their natal colonies, with those from the east heading west and those from the west and south moving north. Most birds later return to their natal colony to moult and breed, although the growth of some colonies has been attributed to the immigration of first-time breeders tracking food availability. Adults nest colonially but may also nest in isolation. At sea, they forage singly, in pairs, or sometimes cooperatively in small groups of up to 150 individuals. 

Given that they do not have any major land predators, penguins have no reason to see humans as a threat. While hugging them is ill-advised, a quick pet is not harmful or stressful for our feathered friends.

African penguins can be aggressive if they feel threatened. Their beaks are sharp, and they may nip fingers or noses if they feel threatened. African penguins hunt cooperatively, herding fish together towards the surface for easier capture.

The African penguin, which was once incredibly common, is currently the rarest penguin species and is listed as critically endangered, with the remaining mature individuals around 19,800 birds in a declining population. A number of problems have caused its population to drastically decline. This species is well-liked by tourists and has a captivating personality.

Native to southern Africa, the African penguin breeds at 26 locations across Namibia and South Africa. It has been observed as far north as Mozambique and Gabon. In Namibia, Sylvia Hill had 12 confirmed breeding pairs in 2022–2023, whereas Neglectus Islet and Penguin Island were recolonized in 2001 and 2006, respectively. The species recolonized Robben Island and Stony Point and Boulders Beach on the South African mainland in the 1980s, all of which are located in the southwest of the nation. Because of the beach, swimming, and penguins, Boulders Beach is a popular tourist destination. People are permitted to get as near as one meter to the penguins.

This species is marine and usually found within 40 km of the coast, coming ashore on islands or at non-contiguous areas of the mainland coast to breed, molt and rest.

• Breeding: Breeding habitats include steep rocky islands with minimal vegetation, flat, sandy islands with variable vegetation cover, and, in rare cases, caverns. In quest of nesting grounds, African penguins may travel more than a kilometer inland and are occasionally spotted on the top of islands. When reproducing, they typically feed within 20 kilometers of the colony, though in certain colonies, the distance is longer.

• Non-breeding: They are primarily found in the broader Benguela Current region at sea. It has been noted that juveniles can migrate up to 1,400 km from their birthplace colonies, whereas immatures can travel up to 700 km, with an average of about 370 km. Adults have been seen up to 600 kilometers from their colonies both before and after moulting.

• Movement Pattern: Full Migrant

• Individual Type: Flock

• Gather: Congregatory (and dispersive)

• Population Trend: Decreasing

• Population: 

  • Earth: 19,800

  • Berbania: ???

  • Reinachos: ???

• Locomotion: Amphibious

• Habitat: Polar; Tundra; Taiga; Temperate Coniferous Forests; Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests; Temperate Deciduous Forests; Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Subtropical Coniferous Forests; Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Tropical Coniferous Forests; Tropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Grasslands; Tropical Savannas and Shrublands; Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrub; Mushroom Fields; Deserts and Xeric Shrublands; Badlands; Flooded Grasslands and Savannas; Swamp; Bayous/Billabongs; Riparian; Wetland; Mangrove Forest; Air-breathing Coral Reefs; Warm River; Cold River; Lukewarm River; Subterranean River; Warm Pond; Cold Pond; Warm Littoral; Cold Littoral; Warm Intertidal; Cold Intertidal; Kelp Forest; Coral Reef; Barrier Reef; Guyot; Neritic Zone (Warm); Neritic Zone (Cold); Pelagic Zone (Warm); Pelagic Zone (Cold); Volcano; Warm Ghost Town; Cold Ghost Town.

• Earth: 

  • Extant (resident): Namibia; South Africa

  • Extant (non-breeding): Angola

  • Extant & Vagrant: Congo; Gabon; Mozambique

Due to the fact that the survivor is always within 12 radii of the hatching egg, penguins are quickly domesticated as they emerge from an egg. The penguin can be tamed using a whip, fish, rats, clams, or fish eggs if it hasn't already been.

Bereshit - 300,000–70,000 BCE

This animal was modified by Phanes and Khione under Project Pashnea, a scientific initiative by the Terran branch of Aesirs to create any animals, monsters, or humans in terms of their own. 

• Coming soon

Earth

• Afrikaans: Brilpikkewyn

• Arabic: البطريق الأفريقي

• Български: Африкански пингвин

• Brezhoneg: Mank Afrika

• Català: Pingüí del Cap

• Čeština: Tučňák brýlový

• Dansk: Brillepingvin

• Deutsch: Brillenpinguin

• English: African Penguin

• Esperanto: Sudafrika pingveno

• Español: Pingüino de El Cabo, Pingüino de Africano

• Eesti: Aafrika pingviin

• Farsi: پنگوئن آفریقایی

• Suomi: Afrikanpingviini

• Français: Manchot du Cap

• Hebrew: פינגווין שחור רגל

• Hindustani: अफ्रीकी पेंगुइन

• Hrvatski: Magareći pingvin

• Magyar: Pápaszemes pingvin

• Hayaran: Աչքավոր պինգվին

• Indonesian: Penguin Afrika, Pinguino Afrika

• Italiano: Pinguino del Capo

• Nihongo: ケープペンギン

• Hangul: 아프리카펭귄

• Lietuvių: Akiniuotasis pingvinas

• Монгол: Африк оцон шувуу

• Hill Mari: Сӹнзӓлыкан пингвин

• Nederlands: Zwartvoetpinguïn

• Norsk: Kappingvin

• Polski: Pingwin przylądkowy

• Punjabi: افریقی پینگوئن

• Português: Pinguim-africano

• Russian: Очковый пингвин

• Scots: Jackass penguins

• Serbian/Croatian: Магарећи пингвин

• Svenska: Sydafrikansk pingvin

• Tagalog: Pengguino ng Aprika

• Thai: เพนกวินแอฟริกัน

• Ukrainian: Пінгвін африканський

• Tiếng Việt: Chim cánh cụt châu Phi

• 中文: 黑脚企鹅

• Coming soon

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_penguin

• https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Spheniscus_demersus

• https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Spheniscus_demersus/

• https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/species.jsp?avibaseid=9B183BDD66511DD8

• https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/22697810

• https://www.biolib.cz/en/taxon/id8364/

• https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon_no=368330

• https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon_no=173482

• https://www.sealifebase.ca/summary/Spheniscus-demersus.html

• https://www.sealifebase.ca/comnames/CommonNamesList.php?ID=73708&GenusName=Spheniscus&SpeciesName=demersus&StockCode=35153

• https://www.deviantart.com/ognimdo2002/art/African-Penguin-1048599379

• https://www.deviantart.com/ognimdo2002/art/1048599379