Skip to main content

Chinstrap Penguin

A pair of Chinstraps
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Sphenisciformes
Family : Spheniscidae
Genus : Pygoscelis
Species : antarcticus

Height : 28in (72cm)
Weight : 9-14lbs (3.5-5kg)

IUCN Status : Least Concern

Chinstrap Penguins are one of the most abundant of all the penguin species. It is estimated that there are over 7 million breeding pairs! Chinstraps live and breed in colonies and can be found in Antarctica and on islands in Antarctic Waters. The species is named for the thin black strip of feathers that runs under their beak.

Chinstrap Penguins feed off of fish and krill, and can dive down as far as 230ft (70m). Using their flippers they are able to swim at speeds of around 20mph (32kph), and their dives typically last for 20-30 seconds.


Adult and Chick
Chinstrap couples lay two eggs, which are incubated by both the male and female. Chinstraps are relatively unique among penguins in that they raise their chicks with equal care. Many other species prefer one chick over the other.

In recent years, Chinstrap Penguins have gained some notoriety due to a children's book titled And Tango Makes Three. It tells the real life story of Roy and Silo, two male Chinstraps who successfully incubated and raised a chick together. The book has been one of the most controversial in the past few years, and was the most challenged book of 2006, 2007, and 2008 according to the American Library Association.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Bornean Orangutan

The Bornean Orangutan is one of two extant Orangutan species in the world. It is the third largest primate (after Gorillas) and is the largest primarily tree-dwelling animal in the world. Males are substantially larger than females, and average at around 165lbs. Bornean Orangutans are largely solitary. A handful might live within a small range but they will seldom interact with one another. Males and females only meet up to breed, which happens only once every several years. A young Orangutan will stay with it's mother for about five years, and the females tend to go about eight years between births. That is the longest interim period of any animal! Sadly, the Bornean Orangutans are in a lot of trouble. They need large forests in order to thrive, and deforestation and habitat degradation has left many homeless. They are also hunted for meat and for traditional medicines. Conservation areas are being established to help these guys in the wild, and it is believed that there are a

Four!

For anyone who was counting, yesterday was our birthday-- four years! Four years filled with animals from A to Z, more than 1,100 of them! I can't thank my readers enough, it's been wonderful! And in celebration of that milestone... I'm taking a break. Hopefully not forever, but for a little bit at least. In the mean time I plan on getting a new layout out, along with some updates to some of the older articles. I'll post updates here and on the Facebook page, I'm also brainstorming some new animal-related projects, so keep an eye out! Thanks again for four awesome years!

Halloween Crab

Gecarcinus quadratus The Halloween Crab goes by many names, including the Red Land Crab, Whitespot Crab, and Moon Crab. I personally like Halloween Crab though, since it really reflects the interesting colors. They have black carapaces, orange-red legs, and purple claws! Halloween Crabs live in the Pacific coast mangroves and forests of Central and South America. They actually live in the forests as adults, and return to the ocean in order to reproduce. Did you know that they live as far away as 18 miles (30km)  from water? Not where you normally think Crabs to be! While living in the forest, the Crabs forage nocturnally for different plant matter, including leaves and sapling. They also dig long burrows into the ground for protection. These burrows can measure nearly 5 ft long! Halloween Crabs are sometimes kept in captivity, and can be very tricky pets due to their excellent climbing skills. IUCN Status :  Not Listed Location :   Cent