The answer is yes. Penguins can live in warm regions as well! Almost 14 species of penguins are currently living in areas with warm climates. Only four species of penguins live in cold regions. Even the African penguin, the jackass penguin, can survive in hot weather.
If you’ve also known that penguins live in cold regions only, now you know that’s not the truth. What if there are more such facts that you don’t know of? Well, let’s see then!
About Penguins’ Life in Warm Weather
Since penguins do not only live in cold regions and actually can also survive in warm regions, let’s learn more about their lives in areas where the weather is warm. There are about 14 different species of penguins that live in warm areas.
Penguins’ lives seem to be pretty fun in warm areas. Penguins survive in warm regions by stretching their flippers (wings) out to the side and leaning over to shade their feet from the sun. They protect their eggs from the heat of the sun by laying them in cracks and creases of rocks.
Warm-weather penguins have the same height as penguins in Antarctica. However, they have some distinct features that allow them to survive in warm temperatures. If their body temperatures become higher than normal, they also pant to cool down again.
What Temperatures do Penguins Live in?
Penguins live in a variety of temperatures because many penguin species have different habitats. Some mostly only live in the southern hemisphere, in Antarctica, whereas some live in the northern hemisphere too.
Penguins living in Antarctica can survive in temperatures ranging from -70 degrees centigrade to -20 degrees centigrade. Their bodies can stay warm due to the layer of blubber underneath their feathers.
Penguins can survive temperatures from 32 degrees centigrade to 22 degrees Celsius in warmer areas such as Patagonia, Argentina. If the climate gets too hot for these penguins, they spread their wings and lean over their feet to lose some body temperature to remain cool.
Why can’t most Penguins Survive the Heat?
Even though some penguins live in warm areas, most penguins are still unable to survive the heat. This is because of their physical features.
Penguins usually can’t survive heat because their bodies are mostly covered in 30% fat, also known as blubber.
Moreover, they have two areas where their bodies are very badly insulated, which causes them to lose a lot of heat very quickly.
These areas are their flippers and feet. It is easier for penguins to live in cold regions as compared to hotter regions due to these reasons.
What Species of Penguins Live in Warm Areas?
Now that we know some penguins live in warm climate areas, let’s get into some more specific details about them. One of the only penguin species that live in the northern hemisphere is the Galapagos penguin.
These penguins are mostly found on the Galapagos islands in Ecuador, a country in South America. They are not going anywhere else in the world except some other areas near Ecuador.
These penguins have some physical features that allow them to stay in the heat and cool themselves down whenever their body temperature exceeds its limit.
These behaviors include spreading flippers and covering their feet from the heat of the sun. When temperatures increase, their food supply is reduced. This leads to less breeding, consequently leading to more adult species’ survival.
Are Penguins Dying from Heat Stroke?
In contrast to their typical image, penguins don’t only live in cold areas with ice everywhere. They are also found in some warm regions where, unfortunately, some penguins are impacted by too much heat from global warming.
It has scientifically been proven that the penguin population is at risk of heatstroke. Every year, throughout February and April, which is also the molting season, penguins have been facing heat stress and dehydration.
This leads to organ failure in penguins and is also one of the reasons why there has been an abnormal decline in the population of penguins that live in warm regions.
Do Penguins Live in Deserts?
A very fun fact about penguins is that they do not just live in tropical areas and Antarctica. These flightless birds live on rocky coastlines and are even found in deserts!
Penguins have the ability to live easily in deserts because they have a thick layer of fat on their bodies, which allows them to stay safe from the heat.
They are mostly found in deserts of South America only. Every single year, on the edge of coastal Patagonia, hundreds of penguins come to Punta Tombo in Argentina to rear their young ~(Source).
What are Warm Water Penguins And Where are they Found?
Warm water penguins are pretty self-explanatory. They are penguins that live in warm regions. These penguins are mostly found on continental Ecuador, Chile, and Peru coasts. These penguins are called the Humboldt penguins.
Warm water penguins mostly feed on sea animals, such as their favorite fish, which also includes the squid.
Can Penguins Live Without Snow?
If penguins can live in warm regions, it is understandable and quite obvious that they can live without snow. But then again, it all comes down to the kind of species.
One of the best facts is that even though we have been told all our lives that penguins only live in Antarctica, which is why we would imagine them in the snow only.
However, only 4 out of the 18 species of penguins live in cold regions and the rest of the other 14 species live in areas with warm temperatures.
What is the Lifespan of a Penguin?
Penguins do not have such a long lifespan. The average lifespan of a penguin is only about 15 to 20 years. On the other hand, little penguins have a lifespan of only 6 years.
Moreover, the penguins that have the longest lifespan are the Magellanic penguins. This species of penguin has lived for almost 30 years!
FAQs
Do penguins live in Asia?
No, penguins do not live in Asia. They live in every continent of the southern hemisphere, which includes Australia, South America, and even Australia. However, no penguins are found in Europe, Asia, or North America.
What country is called the land of penguins?
Well, the answer to this is pretty obvious. Antarctica is called the land of the penguins.
Why do penguins only live in Antarctica?
In Antarctica, penguins have a low risk of being attacked by predators. If penguins were to live in the northern hemisphere, they would have been prey to many animals such as wolves, foxes, and polar bears and there is even a possibility that they could be attacked by humans too!
Conclusion
Ever since birth, we have heard stories from our elders telling us that penguins live in cold regions, mostly Antarctica. Now, we have learned that penguins not only live in cold temperatures, but 14 species also live in warm temperatures. These areas only include continents of the southern hemisphere.
Penguins can easily adapt to warm temperatures by spreading their wings and covering their feet to protect them from the sun’s heat. Moreover, these penguins have a thick layer of fat around their bodies that help them protect themselves from the heat.
6 thoughts on “Can Penguins Live in Warm Weather?”