Important Facts For Prelims
Humboldt Penguin
- 22 Sep 2021
- 1 min read
Why in News
Recently, Mumbai’s Byculla Zoo announced the addition of two new Humboldt penguin chicks.
Key Points
- About:
- Humboldt penguins (Spheniscus Humboldti) are a medium-sized species with an average height of just over 2 ft.
- They have large, bare skin patches around their eyes, an adaptation to help keep them cool.
- Their breeding season in the wild is either March-April or September-October depending on the location of the colony.
- They are one of the most popular zoo penguins due to their ability to withstand warmer climates.
- Habitat:
- Humboldt penguins are endemic to the Pacific coasts of Chile and Peru.
- They are so named because their habitat is located near the Humboldt Current, a large oceanic upwelling characterised by cold waters.
- Humboldt penguins are endemic to the Pacific coasts of Chile and Peru.
- Threats:
- Entanglement in fishing nets, loss of key breeding sites, harvesting of guano for use as fertiliser, and being hunted by introduced species such as cats and dogs.
- Protection Status:
