The Galápagos Penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) is the only penguin found close to the equator. It inhabits the Galápagos island in Ecuador. It is a banded penguin and among the smallest globally, possessing various adaptations to help it stay cool in its warm environment. The head and the upper part of the body are black, but a few white stripes run along the body's length while the underside and frontal area are white. Its extremely narrow head stripe separates it from other banded penguins. In addition, it has feathers on its back and flippers. The Galápagos Penguin shows unique nesting behavior like using any resource to build a nest, including stealing components like pebbles and sticks from absent neighbors.
Galápagos Penguins have an overall height between 18”-21” (46-53 cm) and body width of 5.5”-6.7” (14-17 cm). The typical weight of the Galápagos Penguin is in the range of 3.5-6 lb (1.6-2.7 kg). Galápagos Penguins have lifespans between 15-20 years.
The Galápagos Penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) is the only penguin found close to the equator. It inhabits the Galápagos island in Ecuador. It is a banded penguin and among the smallest globally, possessing various adaptations to help it stay cool in its warm environment. The head and the upper part of the body are black, but a few white stripes run along the body's length while the underside and frontal area are white. Its extremely narrow head stripe separates it from other banded penguins. In addition, it has feathers on its back and flippers. The Galápagos Penguin shows unique nesting behavior like using any resource to build a nest, including stealing components like pebbles and sticks from absent neighbors.
Galápagos Penguins have an overall height between 18”-21” (46-53 cm) and body width of 5.5”-6.7” (14-17 cm). The typical weight of the Galápagos Penguin is in the range of 3.5-6 lb (1.6-2.7 kg). Galápagos Penguins have lifespans between 15-20 years.
