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Copyright © Vladimir Dinets The Gentoo Penguin, Pygoscelis papua, is easily recognized by the wide white stripe extending like a bonnet across the top of its head. Chicks have grey backs with white fronts. Adult Gentoos reach a height of 51 to 90 cm (20-36 in), making them the largest penguins outside of the two giant species, the Emperor Penguin and the King Penguin. The application of Gentoo to the penguin is unclear, according
to the OED, which reports that Gentoo was an Anglo-Indian term, Two sub-species of this penguin are recognised: Pygoscelis papua papua and the smaller Pygoscelis papua ellsworthii. Males have a maximum weight of about 8.5 kg (19 lb) just before
moulting, and a minimum weight of about 4.9 kg (10.8 lb) Gentoos breed on many sub-Antarctic islands. The main colonies
are on the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Nests are usually made from a roughly circular pile of stones
and can be quite large, 20 cm high and 25 cm in diameter. Two eggs are laid, both weighing around 500 g. The parents share
incubation, changing duty daily. Gentoos live mainly on crustaceans such as krill, with fish making
up only about 15% of the diet. Copyright © Vladimir Dinets Gentoo penguins are very tame, especially the chickens: they accept you to enter a kindergarten, if you go slowly or down on your knees. To be close to a dosen warm woolenclothed chickens is surely an amazing experience. Gentoo Penguin, Volunteer Cove, Falkland Islands. Copyright © Vladimir Dinets |
ANIMALS over 250 |
BIRDS over 500 |
FLOWERS over 225 |