Questions people actually ask
Short answers, each with its source. Longer ones live on the topic pages.
How many kinds of penguin are there?
The Australian Antarctic Division counts 18 species of penguins. 5 of them live in Antarctica, and another 4 live on sub-Antarctic islands. Australian Antarctic Division: Penguins · checked 27 Oct 2026 The Smithsonian says there is still debate over the number of species, but it’s generally agreed there are between 17 and 19, split into six genera. Smithsonian Ocean: Penguins · checked 27 Oct 2026
What’s the biggest penguin?
The emperor is the largest penguin. The Australian Antarctic Division says adults can weigh up to 40 kg at the start of the breeding season. Australian Antarctic Division: Emperor penguin
What’s the smallest penguin?
The Department of Conservation calls the little penguin the world’s smallest penguin: just over 25 cm and about 1 kg. NZ Department of Conservation: Little penguin/kororā
Do penguins live at the North Pole?
Penguins are only found in the Southern Hemisphere. The biggest numbers are on Antarctic coasts and sub-Antarctic islands. Australian Antarctic Division: Penguins
Which penguins live in Antarctica?
Only five penguin species live on the Antarctic continent: Adélie, emperor, gentoo, chinstrap and macaroni penguins. Australian Antarctic Division: Adélie penguin The British Antarctic Survey counts 6 major Antarctic species, but says only two, the emperor and the Adélie, are truly native to the continent. Macaroni, chinstrap, gentoo and king penguins live on the warmer sub-Antarctic islands. British Antarctic Survey: Penguins
Can penguins fly?
Penguins are flightless birds, highly adapted for life in the sea: excellent swimmers that can dive to great depths. Australian Antarctic Division: Penguins
How deep can penguins dive?
On average, penguins dive to between 9 and 18 m (30 to 60 feet). Smithsonian Ocean: Penguins Emperor penguins mostly hunt 150 to 250 metres down. The Australian Antarctic Division gives the deepest recorded dive as 565 metres. Australian Antarctic Division: Emperor penguin · checked 27 Oct 2026
What do penguins eat?
Penguin diets are mainly krill, squid and fish. Smithsonian Ocean: Penguins
Why are penguins black and white?
The black-and-white ‘tuxedo’ is camouflage called countershading. From below, a white belly blends with the bright surface; from above, a black back looks like the dark deep. Smithsonian Ocean: Penguins
Who looks after an emperor penguin egg?
Emperor parents share chick-rearing, but only the males incubate the egg. Australian Antarctic Division: Emperor penguin The British Antarctic Survey says the male emperor incubates the single egg for 9 weeks without eating, living off a thick fat reserve. British Antarctic Survey: Penguins
How long do penguins live?
Adélie penguins have a life expectancy of 10 to 20 years. Australian Antarctic Division: Adélie penguin The Australian Antarctic Division says some emperors live to more than 40 years, though most don’t live that long in the wild. Australian Antarctic Division: Emperor penguin
Which penguins are endangered?
African penguin: Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List (last assessed 2024). Population trend: decreasing. IUCN Red List: African penguin · checked 27 Oct 2026 Erect-crested penguin: Endangered on the IUCN Red List (last assessed 2020). Population trend: decreasing. IUCN Red List: Erect-crested penguin · checked 27 Oct 2026 Yellow-eyed penguin: Endangered on the IUCN Red List (last assessed 2020). Population trend: decreasing. IUCN Red List: Yellow-eyed penguin · checked 27 Oct 2026 Galápagos penguin: Endangered on the IUCN Red List (last assessed 2020). Population trend: decreasing. IUCN Red List: Galápagos penguin · checked 27 Oct 2026 Northern rockhopper penguin: Endangered on the IUCN Red List (BirdLife’s factsheet gives 2020 as the last assessment). Population trend: decreasing. BirdLife International: Northern rockhopper penguin factsheet · checked 27 Oct 2026