Penguins are a wonderful type of animal which can withstand the freezing -30 degree Celsius to -60 degree Celsius during blizzards to give birth to their chicks in spring so that they can lead the best life possible. You might have wondered often whether penguins can live in warm weather?
Can penguins live in warm weather? The answer is yes they can live and even thrive in warm weather, and some have even adapted special features that help them survive better in the warm climate. Unfortunately, more and more species simply have to adapt to warm weather due to global warming. And they have to do it in a span of years and not millenniums.
The temperature gets freezing in Antarctica, and the penguins use all of their resources available to stay warm. They have to keep themselves warm and not freeze to death at temperatures that are well below freezing point. If this was not enough, they have to face harsh winds which can go up to one hundred and twenty-five miles per hour.
One tactic is to huddle close together in tightly packed groups to conserve heat and shelter themselves. They struggle to survive in the winter and hence the answer is definitely yes. Penguins can live in warm weather.
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They are adorable and they live in both warm and cold kinds of weather. Some of the species of penguins that survive in warm weather are:
- Galapagos penguins are beautiful and famous because of it. These cute penguins originate from the Galapagos Archipelago which is located 600 miles from the Ecuador coast. These cute penguins from South America thrive in warm weather. Living in warm weather, they have adapted to it so that they can comfortably live all year round in moderately warm climates.
- Emperor penguins named for their huge size and prominent traits originate in the Antarctic. Even though they are used to extremely cold temperatures, some of them are now trying to adapt to warmer climates as their population increases, and their breeding grounds are decreasing.
- The Magellanic Penguin named after their discoverer Ferdinand Magellan is mostly found on the coasts of South America near Argentina, Falkland, or the Chile Islands. These penguins are not very large and they mostly consume a diet of fish and krill. In the wild, their life span can cover 20-25 years. Their living styles are such that they can easily acclimate to slightly warmer climates. However, they cannot survive in extremely hot climates such as the climate of the areas near the equator.
- Little penguins or fairy penguins are named after their tiny size and are adored for their cute look and friendly nature. The little penguins live across the southern coasts of Australia and generally shy away from predators such as dogs, cats, or foxes. With the presence of predator control systems, this species can easily be acclimated to warmer temperatures.
- The African penguins are a funny lot and nicknamed accordingly. Locals know these penguins as the Jackass or Black-footed penguins. This is because of the storage braying like noise that they make while talking to each other. They generally live only on the southwestern coast of Africa. Their diet is also a fish and krill based one. They have been found to respond well to warmer temperatures. They generally swim in nearby waters to cool themselves during the day and spend the night on land. This technique helps them to acclimate to warmer temperatures as well despite higher degrees in warmer climates.
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Where do the penguins live?
Penguins live in all the parts of the Southern hemisphere like South America, South Africa, Antarctica and even New Zealand. They live in areas which are covered with snow and rocky areas with cold water surrounding the areas. Some species can even survive in the hot climate of Africa. You can have a god look at them in their natural habitat in the Denver Zoo where they are kept without a snow enclosed environment.
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What do penguins eat?
They mostly eat fish, squid, and krill. They are carnivores and in colder regions, their diet mostly consists of krills. In temperate regions, they have more access to fish and squid.