Animale
African penguin
This African penguin divides its life between marine feeding grounds and a colony on land.
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The African penguin does not need Antarctic ice. Its natural home is the coast of southern Africa. It is associated with this region and usually feeds relatively close to shore. The sea provides food, while land is where it returns to breed and replace its plumage.
Adults mainly eat small fish, with cephalopods also taken in some areas. They may head out to feed alone, in pairs or in larger groups. A gathering of birds on shore does not mean that every feeding trip involves the entire colony. A penguin's life combines tasks performed independently and together.
The female usually lays two eggs. Both parents incubate them for around forty days. The species can breed throughout the year, nesting either in colonies or alone. In the past, nests were often in burrows dug into sand or layers of guano, the accumulated droppings of birds.
Breeding and moulting keep penguins on land for a substantial part of the year. Birds in a colony may therefore be at different stages of this cycle. Being on shore is as natural to them as diving for fish.
Per bambini
This penguin comes from southern Africa, not Antarctica. It searches for small fish in the sea. Sometimes it feeds alone and sometimes with other penguins. On land it rests, breeds and replaces its feathers.
The female usually lays two eggs. Mother and father share the job of keeping them warm for around forty days. Many pairs nest close together, forming a colony. A nest may be in a burrow in the sand.
Replacing feathers is called moulting. It is an important part of a bird's life, just like caring for its eggs. Penguins do not spend all their time in the water. Shore and sea are two parts of their home.
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