World Penguin Day

About World Penguin Day

Let's answer the two questions on everyone's lips: When is World Penguin Day, and what is World Penguin Day?

World Penguin Day (also known as Penguin Awareness Day) is held on the 25th of April every year. It's an opportunity to come together to celebrate penguins and their beauty, diversity, and intelligence.

It's also a chance to highlight how important penguins are to our ecosystems, learn about the threats they face from climate change and the fishing industry, and discover how conservationists and campaigners are protecting penguins.

Fun facts about penguins for World Penguin Day

Take a look at our penguin facts to learn more about these fantastic, flightless birds.

1. Penguins can't fly but they're incredible swimmers. They can reach speeds of up to 15 miles per hour in the water.
2. Penguins live in the southern hemisphere, which means you can find them in Antarctica but not in the Arctic. Only one penguin - the Galapagos penguin - is found above the equator.
3. Each penguin has a distinct call. This helps them find their mates and chicks among large penguin colonies, which can range from a few hundred to tens of thousands of birds.
4. There are 18 different species of penguins. The emperor penguin is the largest, and the little penguin (known as the fairy penguin or the blue penguin) is the smallest.
5. Penguins are excellent parents. In many species, both male and female penguins take turns incubating the eggs and feeding their chicks.
6. Climate change is threatening penguin habitat. Saving penguins means conserving the sea ice, which some penguin species rely on for hunting and breeding.
7. Commercial fishing also poses a threat to penguins. Fishers compete with penguins for prey and sometimes accidentally catch penguins in their fishing gear.

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Threats to penguins

Many penguin species are listed as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. The African penguin, for example, is critically endangered, while the Galapagos and the northern rockhopper penguins are both endangered.

Here are some of the threats penguins face:

• Habitat degradation: Litter, oil spills, and the presence of tourists all damage penguin habitat and nesting sites.
• Fishing industry: Penguins have to compete with commercial fishers for the food they eat. They are also accidentally captured and drowned in fishing nets and ghost fishing gear.
• Climate change: Penguins in Antarctica rely on sea ice for hunting and breeding. As sea ice disappears due to climate change, penguin numbers are decreasing.
• Factory farming: Industrial animal agriculture contributes to ocean pollution through waste runoff, which leads to dead zones and harms marine life. The excessive use of fishmeal to feed farmed animals also depletes the food sources penguins rely on.
• Exploitation in tourism: Some penguins are captured and kept in captivity for tourist displays and shows. This practice causes them great stress, limits their natural behaviours, and reduces their lifespan.

Penguin FAQS

How long do penguins live?

Penguin lifespan varies from species to species. Large emperor penguins can live up to 20 years, while smaller penguins may only live for around 6 years.

Are penguins birds?

Yes, penguins are a group of aquatic flightless birds. They are classed as birds - and not mammals - because they have feathers and lay eggs.

Which penguins can fly?

No species of penguin can fly. Their wings are adapted for swimming, and they spend much of their lives in the ocean.

What do penguins eat?

Penguins are carnivores. They eat fish, krill, squid, and crustaceans.