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There are currently 18 extant species of penguins recognised by the International Ornithologists' Union, distributed among six genera. [1] Many species of fossil penguins are known from the Paleocene onwards; however, their exact number and taxonomy are unsettled due to ongoing discoveries. [4]
Sphenisciformes (from the Latin for "wedge-shaped") is the taxonomic order to which the penguins belong. BirdLife International has assessed 18 species. 16 (89% of total species) have had their population estimated: those missing are the king and little penguins, both of which have been assessed as being of least concern. [1] [2]
Penguins (order Sphenisciformes, family Spheniscidae) are an order of flightless birds living in the southern hemisphere. They are not, contrary to popular belief, only found in cold climates, such as Antarctica. Some species live as far north as the Galapagos Islands and will occasionally cross the equator while feeding.
Emperor penguins are the tallest and heaviest of the 18 penguin species. They can weigh up to 88 pounds (40 kilograms) and stand 45 inches (1.1 meter) tall.
The smallest penguin species is the little blue penguin (Eudyptula minor), also known as the fairy penguin, which stands around 30–33 cm (12–13 in) tall and weighs 1.2–1.3 kg (2.6–2.9 lb). [7] Today, larger penguins generally inhabit colder regions, and smaller penguins inhabit regions with temperate or tropical climates.
The Galápagos penguins are protected under the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, which includes all 18 penguin species. [40] Galápagos Penguins live in the Galápagos Islands and they are protected under Ecuadorian jurisdiction. The Directorate of the Galápagos National Park and the Galápagos Marine Reserve are two important factors that are ...
“The emperor penguin is the largest penguin species on Earth.” The emperor penguin is the largest species of penguin in the world and also one of the most unique. Instead of breeding in the ...
Four of the eighteen penguin species live and breed on the mainland and its close offshore islands. Another four species live on the subantarctic islands. [ 18 ] Emperor penguins have four overlapping layers of feathers, keeping them warm.