If you have seen penguins in a series of animated movies, you might have asked yourself, are there penguins in Madagascar? The reason why this question is so popular is primarily because of the animated movie Penguins of Madagascar which might make you believe that penguins do exist in Madagascar. But in reality, there are no penguins in Madagascar.
There have never been any penguins in the Madagascar region because it is not a suitable environment where penguins can live. On islands like Madagascar, there are several factors working against the existence of penguins which makes it impossible for penguins to reach and survive here.
Even though penguins are also found in Africa and the Galápagos Islands, reaching Madagascar is not only difficult but impossible for penguins. There are adverse weather conditions and lengthy stretches of warm water that make it impossible for penguins to swim to Madagascar. The only penguins you might get to see in Madagascar might be in zoos, but there are no naturally occurring penguins in Madagascar.
Here are some more reasons why there are no penguins in Madagascar.
1) Unfavorable Weather Conditions
Penguins need cold weather to live as their fur and blubber make them perfect for cold weather conditions. In the extremely hot and humid weather of Madagascar, penguins will simply not be able to survive in a natural environment. Any penguins that might be found in zoos of Madagascar have to be kept in specially designed enclosures that have temperatures that suit the penguins.
2) Presence of Predators
Madagascar has several predators that can wipe out any penguin population in the region. There are predators such as dogs, cats, and native Fossa that can hunt and kill any penguins present on the island.
3) The Distance from Nearby Landmass
Madagascar is located far away from any major landmass which puts it out of reach of penguins that can only swim to other locations for finding food and building nests. It is difficult for penguins to swim such long distances which is why there are no penguins in Madagascar.
4) Global Warming
Penguins have evolved to live and thrive in cold environments, and they do not have the physical attributes to survive in hot climates. The increasing rate of global warming means that places like Madagascar do not have the environmental conditions that will allow penguins to survive there. Simply put, Madagascar and nearby places are too warm and humid to sustain penguins.
Conclusion
If you have ever asked yourself this question, are there penguins in Madagascar, the answer is a simple no. There are no penguins in Madagascar and we have explained the reasons for it in this article. Penguins cannot travel as far as Madagascar because swimming through the warm waters is not possible for the penguins.
The weather in Madagascar is hot and humid which makes it an unfavorable environment for penguins to live in. And in case any penguin reaches Madagascar, the presence of predators on the island means penguins won’t be able to survive there.
One reason that many people think there might be penguins in Madagascar is that of the movie Penguins of Madagascar from DreamWorks Animation. The movie, of course, is not based on facts but it takes artistic liberties by showing the primary penguin characters belonging to Madagascar. So, what do you think? If any penguins ever made it to Madagascar, will they be able to survive? If you have any thoughts about penguins in Madagascar, please feel free to share these in the comments below this article.
References
http://www.askabiologist.org.uk/answers/viewtopic.php?id=3756
https://blog.nationalgeographic.org/2015/01/24/the-real-penguin-of-madagascar/
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Image Source:
- There are No Penguins In Madagascar Because of Hot Climate by MemoryCatcher / Pixabay License
- Penguins Cannot Reach Madagascar Because It’s Too Far from Antarctica by derdento / Pixabay License