Zvíře
Humboldt penguin
A bird of the Peruvian and Chilean coasts turns its wings into underwater propulsion.
Jazyk obsahu
The Humboldt penguin comes from the coasts of Peru and Chile, where it lives on rocky shores and islands. Antarctic ice is not its natural setting. These birds form colonies and breed along the coast, close to water and food. Colony life combines daily feeding trips with returns to land. Penguins are sociable and communicate with one another.
Beneath the surface, their wings work as propelling flippers. A streamlined body makes swimming efficient, but the bird still breathes air and must surface for another breath. Black-and-white plumage serves a practical purpose: the dark back is less conspicuous from above, while the pale belly blends with the light when seen from below. A penguin sees well both underwater and on land.
Small fish and crustaceans dominate its diet. Anchovies are an important food for wild colonies. Intensive fishing reduces the supply of these fish, so the birds' future also depends on events far from their nests. The shore provides somewhere to breed, but penguins head out to sea to find their meals.
Pro děti
Penguins do not always live among ice. Humboldt penguins come from Peru and Chile, on the South American coast. They live there with other penguins in colonies. One reason they return to land is to raise their young.
In water, their wings act as flippers. Their streamlined bodies help them swim, but penguins have no gills: they must return to the surface for air. A dark back and pale belly help conceal them from animals looking down from above or up from below.
They catch small fish and crustaceans for dinner. Anchovies are especially important to wild penguins. When people catch too many of these fish, the birds struggle to find food. They therefore need two places: a safe shore and a sea full of prey.
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The Humboldt penguin is associated with the coasts of which countries?
- Umístění
- Enclosure marked with the animal’s name within the zoo