African+Penguins+2010

African Penguins By Emily and Adam

====** Characteristics: The African penguin has a black upside down u-shape on their neck with speckles on their chest. They are also known as the Blackfoot penguins. They`re two feet tall and weigh between 7 and 11 pounds. They have a loud ,braying call that sounds like a donkey. **====

** Habitat: The African penguins live and breed on the coast of South Africa. Did you Know that they`re the only penguin species that breed in South Africa? **
====** Food: African penguins feed mainly on anchovies,sardines,horse mackerel ,and round herrings,supplemented by squid and crustaceans. When hunting for prey ,they can go as fast as 20 km\H.Their food is small fish (which swim on the upper layer of the ocean.)**====

====** Predator: Many people have hunted these penguins so much that their numbers declined from at least 1 million to about 150,000. Their ocean based predators are sharks, cape fur seals,and orcas. Their land - based predators include mongoose, genet, cats, and dogs too. Kelp gulls which steal their eggs and new born chicks are also their predators.**====

====** Babies:Two eggs are usually laid and in years when food is plentiful both chicks will survive. It takes 38-41 days for the eggs to hatch. The chicks are kept warm and protected for about 40 days after hatching by both parents. **====

[[image:african_penguins.jpg width="186" height="119" caption="Hanging out!!!"]]
====** Other Interesting Facts:The pattern of black spots on an African penguins is unique just like fingerprints on humans. The hotter a penguin gets the more pink the glands above their eyes get. On Boulders Beach, penguins will allow people to approach them as close as 3 feet. **====


 * Future: **
 * The African penguin is a protected species, but their habitats continue to be damaged by oil spills . New breeding colonies have recently been established and there are also rescue services to help penguins harmed by oil slicks. The African penguin is almost becoming extinct. **