Penguin Awareness Day
Penguin Awareness Day
Taking place annually on 20 January, Penguin Awareness Day aims to raise awareness of the plight of penguins in the wild and the need for their protection. There are 18 different penguin species around the world and 11 of these are vulnerable or endangered due to human impacts such as climate change, overfishing, plastic pollution, invasive species and habitat degradation. People can make a difference by eating sustainable seafood, being responsible with their rubbish and keeping a safe distance from wild penguin habitats.
SEA LIFE Melbourne is home to a colony of King & Gentoo Penguins, learn more about them below or visit them in person.
PRE-BOOK
Evolution
The first flightless ancestor of penguins lived over 30 million years ago and originated from the coast of New Zealand and Australia. These birds would have resembled albatross and theory is that due to the volatile environment on land, these birds took to the water where food was aplenty. As they no longer required the ability to fly, their wings became powerful flippers allowing for precision in the water. Penguin species have never inhabited the north pole and may be confused with Puffins or and the extinct Great Auk which inhabited northern artic regions but are of no relation.
Emperor
These are the largest species of penguin standing at over 100cm and can weigh up to 40kgs! They are accomplished swimmers with the ability to slow their heart rate and shut down non-essential organs to dive for up to 20 minutes at depths of over 500m! They will then trek 50-120 kilometres to their nesting sites and breed during winter.
Emperors are highly sensitive to climate change which can disrupt the ice surrounding their colony sites. Too much ice means they must travel further for food, but not enough ice means less room for breeding individuals. Over fishing means adults must spend more time at sea for food while hungry chicks wait to be fed. You can help by eating sustainably sourced fish or going vegetarian!
Yellow-eyed
These beautiful birds are the most ancient species of penguin and have unique yellow feathers and bright yellow eyes. But less than 300 Yellow-eyed Penguins remain on mainland NZ. Overfishing, predation from introduced species and land clearance for farming have brought the Yellow Eyes to the brink of extinction.
The birds are secretive and extremely sensitive, choosing quiet nesting sites on the beaches of NZ. Conservation teams work to preserve this species by rescuing the wounded, assist feeding hungry chicks, monitoring all nesting sites and removing introduced species.
Little Blue
These are the smallest species of penguin growing to only 30cm in size. We are lucky in Melbourne to have a colony at St Kilda beach pier but being close to the city means being close to people, pollution, plastic and pets!
You can help our local colony by keeping dogs on leads around known colony nesting sites, collecting rubbish on the beach or breakwater and keeping your distance from known nesting sites.
Online Burrow cams have been installed to some nesting sites which you can view any time of day or year.
African
The African penguin have black stripes and spots which is unique to each bird like a fingerprint. These birds have adapted to the warmer African temperatures by exhibiting distinct pink patches above their eyes which allows them to cool down during the summer months.
An Oil spill in the year 2000 initiated the largest animal rescue event in history as 38’000 African penguins were rescued from contaminated waters. 91% of these birds were rehabilitated and released however new strains of avian malaria are threatening this species as it tries to recover. SANCCOB is a volunteer organisation who have rescued over 85’000 African Penguins since its inception.
You can do an internship or volunteer at their sites in South Africa.
Galapagos
The Galapagos penguin is the only species of penguin found in the northern hemisphere. They have high blood flow allowing them to cool off quickly and will sometimes pant if in the tropical sun but survive mainly using the cool nutrient waters of the north flowing Peru Current which brings fish and plankton from Antarctic waters up to South America. Due to climate change the population saw a decline in numbers of 77% during a single year. Sea water temperatures have increased and are no longer suitable for the fish the Galapagos penguins eat leading to starvation and reduced breeding.
In South America, penguin poo or guano has been mined and used as a fertilizer causing nest and shelter destruction. Conservation efforts are underway to build artificial shelters to encourage nesting.
