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Today on Animal Fact Files, we’re talking about Galapagos penguins. Be sure to join our waddle by subscribing. Thank you to i like games for today’s request! Most people think of snow and icebergs when they think about penguins, but there are some species, like today’s subject, who wouldn’t know what to make of a snowflake.

As their name implies, Galapagos penguins are from the coastal areas of Galapagos Islands off the northwestern shores of South America, and they are the only penguins who are found north of the equator. They can also pant which is a nice feature for cooling off when it’s hot! Though they live in a tropical area, Galapagos penguins depend on cold water ocean currents for their survival. When conditions are favorable, and food is plentiful, Galapagos penguins may reproduce up to three times in a single year. These birds don’t have a breeding season, they just get frisky when the feeling is right, which is namely when they have more food than they can eat.

Galapagos penguins eat pretty much any fish that are half a foot (150 millimeters) or smaller in length, so anchovies, sardines, and mullets all make the menu. They’ll also munch on crustaceans, try to eat eels, and they’ve even been seen stealing fish right out the mouths of pelicans. Those are some bold moves considering these birds are less than two feet (61 centimeters) tall on average.

With full bellies achieved, Galapagos penguins will pair up, usually with the same partner as last time, and get to preparing a nest. Both the parents go about finding basically anything to put in their nest, including the stolen goods of other nests, though apparently their eggs are so thick, a nest is almost unnecessary. In order to keep the eggs cool, and to protect them from predators, the parents will construct their nests in lava tunnels and caves. Galapagos penguins have many predators including native animals such as sharks and sea hawks, as well as introduced species like domestic cats. Other factors that threaten Galapagos penguins include starvation due to climatic events. See, because these birds depend so heavily on unpredictable cold water currents, warm weather events like El Niño can drastically harm their populations. It’s thought this is why Galapagos penguins are able to breed opportunistically.

When they are ready to raise a family, the female will almost always lay two eggs. Both the parents will take turns incubating the eggs and taking care of the chicks once they hatch. There’s safety in numbers, too, because these birds will aggressively defend their nests from predators, with loud vocalizations and flipper flapping usually teaming up with other members of their colony to drive off an animal that would otherwise take over a single penguin; needless to say, Galapagos penguins usually all breed around the same time, even though it can be completely unpredictable when it’ll happen. The chicks are ready to leave the nest at about two months of age, but may spend the next few months standing on the shores still begging for food from time to time. It takes a few years before their ready to have a family of their own. Galapagos penguins are thought to be able to reach two decades in age if they can avoid all the obstacles they face on their island paradise home.

For more facts on Galapagos penguins, check out the links in the description. Thank you for watching, and give a thumbs up for adorable birds!