Humboldt penguins rely on the nutrient rich Humboldt Current to support the anchovy and sardine populations they prey upon. They adjust for the sun's changing position in the sky throughout the day. 1:01. Aug. 26, 2017; Image. They have one black stripe across the base of their chest. Humboldt penguins can swim up to 20 mph.

You can read about the penguin chicks we’ve added to our colony. The Humboldt penguin is named after the German nature scientist Alexander von Humboldt, who visited South America in 1799. 1998, Chiu et al.

They also lack feathers on their legs. They have a distinctive, black, horseshoe shaped band on their front and a white stripe on their head. Weight 4 kg (9 lbs.) Some people collect penguin eggs to eat. The harvesting of guano has reduced the number of places for penguins to nest, and that has reduced the number of Humboldt penguins.

Humboldt penguins can be at sea for days at a time whilst hunting and catch their food by diving deep into the water for minutes at a time. The biggest threat to Humboldt penguins is their habitat being destroyed, through the harvesting of guano, their nesting material, as a fertiliser. Their favorite food is anchovetta, small fish that thrive in the cold waters off the South American coast.

By Yonette Joseph. They weigh between 3.6 and 5.9kg (8-13lbs). Humboldt penguin chicks swim for the first time _ Oregon Zoo - Duration: 1:01. The penguin is named after Alexander von Humboldt, a naturalist and explorer who first described the animal to the scientific community. Humboldt Penguin Description. • Penguins can run as fast as most men and swim faster than most fish. The plumage is also similar, except that the two white bands merge to form one thick band across the throat of Humboldt penguins. Their weight varies during the year between 3 till 5 kg. It is closely related to the Galapagos Penguin and the Magellanic Penguin species. • Humboldt penguins can blush.

The Humboldt penguin is similar in size to Magellanic penguins, having an average length of around 70cm., and an average weight of 4kg. They are coloured black/dark grey on their back and white on their front. Humboldt penguin > Weight: 7.75-13 lbs. Its nearest relatives are the African Penguin, the Magellanic Penguin and the Galápagos Penguin. The Humboldt Penguin is often called the Peruvian Penguin. The Humboldt penguin has few predators on land, the main ones being large snakes and sea-birds that hunt their eggs. 2011) yet in captivity will spend most of their time standing and waiting for food to be brought to them. Humboldt penguins share their name with the chilly Humboldt Current, ... since the extra weight helps them dive to greater depths. In the wild, Humboldt penguins have been found foraging up to 72km from their rocky nesting beaches in South America (Culik et al. A Humboldt penguin named Heathcliff stepping on the scale. It was named after the explorer Alexander von Humboldt who recognized it swimming in the waters. The Humboldt penguin is at risk of becoming extinct. The Humboldt penguin is a medium sized penguin species measuring 56-70cm (22-28in) tall. You may hear it referred to as the Patranca as well. This is why they’re part of a breeding programme.