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Where can Galapagos penguins be found?
Where to see them: They are found mainly on Isabela and Fernandina islands but they can also be seen on Floreana, Santiago and Bartolome. People often swim with them around Pinnacle Rock on Bartolome. When to see them: Galapagos penguins live and breed on the Galapagos Islands all year round.
What penguins live near the equator?
The Galapagos Penguin is the smallest South American penguin, and the only one to live near the equator. It shares the Galápagos Archipelago with other seabirds such as the Galapagos Petrel and Waved Albatross. It is the most northerly-breeding penguin species in the world, living around the equator.
Where did Galapagos penguins originate?
Galapagos penguins are thought to have been brought to the Galapagos islands by the Humboldt Current, which brings cold waters and nutrients north from Antarctica. One of the main problems for these penguins is keeping cool. Living close to the equator it can get to over 38°C during the daytime.
Which adaptation is unique to the Galapagos penguin?
4) Galapagos Penguins Have Unique Adaptations By leaning forward they shade their feet from the sun, and they stretch their flippers out to the sides. This stance helps them keep cool because they loose heat from the underparts of their flippers, and the skin on their feet. They also pant to cool down.
Is Galapagos north of the equator?
The Galápagos, however, actually straddle the equator. While most of the land mass is south of the equator, a small part of the island of Isabela, and a few other islands, technically lies in the Northern Hemisphere. They barely get more than one degree north of the equator, but they are nonetheless in the “north.”
Do most penguins live north of the equator?
Although almost all penguin species are native to the southern hemisphere, they are not found only in areas with cold climates, such as Antarctica. In fact, only a few species of penguin live that far south. Several species are found in the temperate zone, and one species, the Galápagos penguin, lives near the Equator.
How is the Galapagos penguin different from other penguins?
Unlike the Antarctic penguins, Galapagos penguins do not need to worry about their eggs freezing. Instead they have to worry about them overheating or being attacked by egg predators. Galapagos penguins nest along the shoreline, and when nesting, one parent feeds while the other cares for the egg.
What are the Galapagos penguins important?
The penguins are an important food source for a variety of animals. The main terrestrial predators for the chicks and adults include Galapagos Rice Rats, Sally Lightfoot Crabs, snakes, hawks and owls as well as domestic or feral cats and dogs. In the water, they are consumed by sharks and other large marine predators.
Where is the equator in the Galapagos Islands?
The islands are found at the coordinates 1°40’N–1°36’S, 89°16’–92°01’W. Straddling the equator, islands in the chain are located in both the northern and southern hemispheres, with Volcán Wolf and Volcán Ecuador on Isla Isabela being directly on the equator.
What class is the Galapagos penguin?
Birds
Reptiles
Galapagos penguin/Class
Do penguins only live south of the equator?