How Might Penguins Be Able to Survive at the Equator

The Galapagos penguin that lives in the north of the equator, this small species is confined to the Galapagos Islands, which are on both sides of the equator. It has few degrees of latitude.

The Galapagos penguins are closely related to the other temperature penguins that live on the coasts of Africa, and South America and are more distantly related to the Antarctic penguins. These Galapagos species can survive at the equator because of the unique biogeography of the Galapagos Islands. 

In Antarctica, cold and productive water travels from the Antarctica Ocean via the Humboldt Current, which flows to this island group.

Many animals survive at the equator, just like that Galapagos penguins breed year round. Galapagos penguins, unlike the Antarctic penguins, they do not need to worry about their cold eggs.  Instead, they have to worry about being overheated or attacked with the aid of egg predators.  Galapagos penguins nest alongside the coastline, and when nesting, one parent feeds, while the other penguin cares for the egg.

Strong pair bonds remain with their partner for their life on the Galapagos penguins.  There many foraging predators that primarily eat fishes.  They forage relatively close to the shore, as they prey for the abundant marine predators on the Galapagos Islands, particularly fur seals, sharks, and sea lions.

Few techniques are used by penguins to protect themselves from the equatorial sun. They can often be seen retaining their flippers faraway from their body to launch warmness through the uncovered flippers to shade their delicate feet or on the other hand using under parts of their flippers.

Blood flow helps to dispense increased blood flow to these exposed areas in heat. However, the best technique to stay cool is by taking a swim. Like all other penguins, they spend the majority of their time in the water, which is cooled at oceanic upwelling.

Galapagos Islands are blessed to be a home of the Galapagos Penguin. Galapagos is the only species of penguin that lives above the Equator and are the northernmost penguins in the world. They can do so because of the cold water they spend their days.

This Galapagos Penguin is the third smallest species of penguin. These penguins can be seen throughout the archipelago, 90 to 95% are found on Isabela Islands and Fernandina to the West. We are fortunate because there are believed to be handiest approximately 800 breeding pairs of Galapagos Penguins inside the globe, so the populace density out of doors of Isabela and Fernandina makes it unique and even lucky to find them.

Reference:

https://medium.com/galapagos-nature-interpreter/penguins-on-the-equator-87d83c8852fa

https://blog.nationalgeographic.org/2017/05/16/can-rare-tropical-penguins-survive-in-the-galapagos/

https://www.santacruzgalapagoscruise.com/equatorial-tropical-penguin/

https://oceana.org/marine-life/seabirds/galapagos-penguin

David
 

I got interested in penguins from a young age and as I grew I realized that penguins are such fascinating birds. I made it a mission to create a website where all information about penguins could be accessed in an easy to read format.

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