Do you know at least one animal that votes harder and longer than a stubborn donkey? It turns out that such a representative of the terrestrial fauna really exists. And this is not anyone, but a penguin, moreover an African one. The ability to make heart-rending screams like donkey screams has led African penguins to be often called donkeys.
External structure
For a long time, penguins were considered a separate species of animals. Only relatively recently, analysis of the structure of DNA allowed scientists to find out that they belong to a species of seabirds. Scientists are also sure that penguins are one of the oldest representatives of birds. And perhaps their evolutionary development began in the era of dinosaurs.
African penguins are the largest spectacled penguins. Their height can reach 70 cm. The maximum weight is 5 kg. They have a standard color - black on the back, white on the front, that is, “under the tailcoat”. But the “African” penguins have their own individual peculiarity. This is a black strip, transverse at chest level and descending on the sides. Thus, in shape it resembles a horseshoe.
All penguins, including African ones, have an unusual ability to stand and move vertically. This is possible due to the special structure of their paws, which are equipped with membranes from the skin. With the help of these same paws, as well as wings resembling an oar in shape, they swim perfectly.
The cub does not look as pretty as an adult African penguin. The chick is covered with brown-gray down, which only after reaching adulthood acquires a blue tint. The solid and threatening appearance of these birds is also due to the special shape of the beak and the presence of harpoon teeth, thanks to which the chicks catch fish with a "dead grip".
Behavior features
African penguins feed mainly on anchovies and sardines.
Life expectancy varies between 10-12 years. Puberty occurs at the age of 4-5 years. The female lays, as a rule, 2 eggs at a time. Parents hatch them in turn for 40 days. For donkey penguins, the severity of the breeding season is uncharacteristic. Only the dependence of the hatching season on the habitat in which the African penguin is located is known. Interesting facts about penguins have been the subject of research by Argentinean scientists. They found out: among the “Africans” there are couples who have not parted for 16 years. That is why penguins are called one of the most faithful modern representatives of the fauna.
The African penguin is also characterized by good stamina. Representatives of this species dive to a depth of more than 100 m, hold their breath for several minutes, can swim non-stop up to 120 km, while developing a speed of up to 20 km / h.
The main enemies of the chicks are sharks and seagulls, and adults compete for prey and can become victims of fur seals.
Protected by the Red Book
At the beginning of the 20th century, these birds were on the verge of extinction. The reason for this was the use of their eggs for food by the local population. African penguins did not have time to hatch eggs, as residents simply collected them. To date, this species is listed in the International Red Book and is protected by law. But even despite the protection, African ornithologists have noted a decrease in the population of this species of penguins by almost 50% over the past five years. Scientists attribute this fact to the depletion of fish stocks in ocean waters. Intensive commercial fishing leads to the fact that African penguins lack food, which in turn leads to the threat of extinction of this species of birds.
Distribution area
Where African penguins live, you can understand by the name of the species. They live on the coast of South Africa and Namibia, as well as the nearby islands, where the cold Bengal Current is localized . They live in colonies. To date, there are 140-180 thousand individuals, while, according to research, in 1900 the population consisted of 2 million individuals.
Penguins are certainly one of the most unusual inhabitants of Africa. They enjoy basking in the sands of Cape Town, enjoying sunbathing, fishing in the ocean waters and warmly welcome numerous tourists, willingly posing in front of camera lenses.