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spheniscus mendiculus
Galapagos penguins are approximately 14 inches high. Adult penguins have a bluish-black head, back and flippers when new. Older worn feathers, dull to a brown color. Their underside is white with the exception of a black line along the side and scatter feathers on the chest.
Spotted near Sombrero Chino (Chinese hat) these endemic Galapagos Penguins live in colonies feeding on small fish caught while swimming underwater. Galapagos Penguins mate for life. Nesting occurs throughout the year with the majority of nests being seen between May and January. Some penguins may mate as often as every 6 months. Female penguins lay 1 to 2 eggs each season. The eggs are laid in holes under the lava and the pair shares the responsibility of watching over the nest.
The Galapagos penguin has a population of less than 1500 and is seriously afected by local El Nino events. In years with warm waters from the El Niño Current, life changes in the Galapagos leading to heavy declines in the penguin population
Spotted on Mar 26, 2012
Submitted on Aug 13, 2012
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