Discover their unique characteristics and their role in the Galápagos ecosystem
Galápagos penguin guide: how to identify, what they eat and how they survive in the heat
Among the iconic species inhabiting the Galápagos islands are the Galápagos penguins, a fascinating group of birds with remarkable adaptations to their environment.
These penguins, unlike their Antarctic counterparts, are not adapted to extreme cold. Instead, they have evolved to thrive in the tropical climate, showcasing their remarkable adaptability.
How to identify Galápagos penguins
The smallest of the banded penguins, Spheniscus mendiculus has the least distinct upper breast-band on a white front flecked with black.
The rest of the body is black other than a thin white stripe curving from each eye to the throat and bare pink skin at the base of the beak. The black feet may have white patches. Dark grey and white juveniles lack the breast-band; chicks are greyish-brown and white.
Where do Galápagos penguins live?
These penguins are only found in the wild in the southern hemisphere. Breeding close to the equator, the Galápagos penguin is therefore the most northerly species of penguin.
When foraging for food, however, they sometimes swim over the invisible ‘line’, making them the only penguin to be found naturally in the northern hemisphere (even if only temporarily). A useful fact if you enjoy quizzes!
How big are Galápagos penguins?
48–53cm (18.9–20.9in), 1.4–2.9kg (3.1–6.4lb) depending on time of year and gender.
What do Galápagos penguins eat ?
A variety of schooling fish including anchovies and sardines.
What’s the breeding habit of the Galápagos penguin?
They can breed at various times of year providing the sea temperature is lower than 24°C (75°F), to optimise food supply.
Galápagos penguins create a simple nest of twigs in natural cavities such as lava crevices or underneath boulders to shelter from the equatorial sun. Two eggs are laid a few days apart and incubated for about six weeks, and after hatching both chicks are raised.
The chicks are brooded and fed alternately by both parents for the first 30 days and are then left close to the nest site, allowing both parents to forage. They fledge at around nine weeks.
What are their main predators?
At sea they are predated mainly by sharks, while on land the adults and juveniles are targeted by feral cats and dogs. The eggs and young chicks are also killed by snakes, owls, crabs and rats.
What’s the Galápagos penguin population?
Around 1,200 mature individuals and decreasing.
What are the key threats to the Galápagos penguin?
They are highly susceptible to strong El Niño events, which lead to fatal food shortages and accounts for the widely fluctuating population size. After a major El Niño event in 1982/3 it was estimated that just 700 individuals survived.
The projected increased frequency and intensity of these events due to climate change has led to predictions that the Galápagos penguin could be the first penguin species to go extinct in the wild.
Living on highly active volcanic islands also brings the threat of whole colonies being wiped out by lava flows reaching the coast. Other threats include local fishing and pollution as both the resident human population and tourism continue to grow.
What’s their conservation status?
Endangered (IUCN Red List 2020).
Wildlife photographer Ursula Clare Franklin’s new book, Mission Penguin, chronicles her journey to capture all 18 penguin species worldwide, from the Galapagos to Antarctica. Available from 24th October, published by Bloomsbury Wildlife.