Happy World Penguin Day!

Last updated on December 10th, 2020

Everyone loves penguins, right? So today is a good day to show your love for these amazing creatures!

African penguin at Boulder Beach, Cape Town South Africa - ExplorationVacation.net

Why today?

Every year on April 25 a colony of Adelie penguins at McMurdo Station in Antarctica return to land after spending months at sea. Penguins are strong and graceful swimmers that spend the majority of their lives in the water. However, every year, on this same day, these Adelie penguins return to the same spot as part of the northern migration of all Adelie penguins. World Penguin Day was established to celebrate this annual migration and penguins in general.

There are 17 species of penguins, all of which live in the southern hemisphere. Besides Antarctica and its surrounding seas, penguins can be found in South Africa, the Galapagos Islands, Peru, Chile, Argentina, the Falkland Islands, New Zealand, and Australia. The penguins pictured here are African penguins that we saw while visiting South Africa in 2011.

African Penguins in Cape Town South Africa - ExplorationVacation.net

While everyone loves to watch them, penguins around the world are threatened by habitat destruction and climate change. Take a moment today to learn a bit more about penguins and what you can do to ensure they will be around for generations to come.

More penguin facts and information from the Pew Charitable Trusts

Penguins!

 

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