guardians of the sea: penguin beach

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penguin beach

Related Links · Aquarium of the Pacific
The above water view of the exhibit features Magellanic penguins, some of which were rescued from Brazil where they were stranded outside their native habitat. The penguins join the Aquarium’s collection of more than 11,000 animals in the institution’s fifty exhibits representing the diversity of the Pacific Ocean.

  • grant: $668,000 - Aquarium of the Pacific

    To support the Aquarium’s educational programs and research projects.

  • topic: penguins

  • location: long beach

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guardians of the sea: penguin beach

The above water view of the exhibit features Magellanic penguins, some of which were rescued from Brazil where they were stranded outside their native habitat. The penguins join the Aquarium’s collection of more than 11,000 animals in the institution’s fifty exhibits representing the diversity of the Pacific Ocean.

about

location: Long Beach, CA

best viewing hours: 7:00am - 8:00pm

time zone: Pacific Time

related links: Aquarium of the Pacific
Adopt a Penguin

did you know?

September thru mid-April Magellanic penguins breed on islands off Chilean coast and Cape Horn, and as far north as Valdez Peninsula, and the Falkland Islands.

did you know?

During the non-breeding season, Magellanic penguins can be found in ocean waters usually swimming up to 155 miles offshore.

did you know?

Magellanic penguins have very dense feathers: more than 70 per square inch.

did you know?

Fully grown Magellanic penguins stand 24-30 inches high and weigh 8.3-14.3 lbs. Males are usually slightly larger.

did you know?

When food is plentiful, the penguins return to the breeding site during the day; when it is not, they may be at sea for several days.

did you know?

Usually foraging in groups, Magellanic penguins prey on small fishes, squid, and krill.

did you know?

Magellanic penguins dive to depths of up to 164 feet.

did you know?

Magellanic penguins stay underwater for about 90 seconds at a time.

did you know?

When food supplies are adequate, Magellanic penguins swim 10-25 miles offshore from the colony. Trips are longer when food is scarce.

did you know?

Using their wings like paddles, Magellanic penguins achieve speeds of over 15 miles per hour when foraging.

did you know?

When a school of prey is detected, a Magellanic penguins accelerate and swims round the fish in circles that become smaller and smaller till it suddenly dashes into the school to swallow its prey head first.

did you know?

Magellanic penguins usually form life-long pairs, returning to the same breeding location annually.

did you know?

Magellanic penguins nest under bushes, in stands of grass, among rocks, or in underground burrows that are dug into soft soil or peat, often on cliffs facing the ocean.

did you know?

Magellanic penguin burrows slope downward and are up to 6 feet deep ending in a nest chamber higher than the tunnel floor to allow rainwater to collect away from eggs.

did you know?

If they do not have a mate, male Magellanic penguins advertise for one by making loud braying sounds and body displays in an elaborate courtship ritual.

did you know?

When the chicks leave the nest, they molt, replacing their down with feathers. When 60 to 70 days old the chicks, now feathered juveniles, are ready to head out to sea.

did you know?

After the chicks have fledged, adults go to sea for two to three weeks to build up their body mass to cope with the energy demands of the molting process.

did you know?

Magellanic penguins molt for 19-22 days. During this time they fast; their metabolism slows down and the birds usually just stand still trying not to expend energy.

did you know?

As part of courtship or territoriality, Magellanic penguins perform ‘ecstatic display,’ a behavior involving repeatedly stretching their necks, pointing their beak toward the sky, and at the same time, spreading their wings and making braying noises.

did you know?

Magellanic penguins are considered to be among the more aggressive penguin species, especially during breeding season when males fight each other for nests and females.

did you know?

The adult penguins can distinguish the calls of the partner. Chicks can distinguish between the calls of their parents and those of other adults.

did you know?

All adult penguins are countershaded and predators and prey do not see a contrast between the penguin and the ocean. Viewed from above, the penguin’s dark back blends in with the ocean. Viewed from below, the light underside blends in with the lighter surface of the ocean.

did you know?

A Magellanic penguin's body is tapered at both ends and streamlined for swimming. Its wings (flippers) function as paddles, enabling the birds to “fly” through the water rapidly.

did you know?

Research suggests that while Magellanic penguins cannot perceive red, a color rare in the deeper ocean, they are adept at perceiving blue-green, the colors of the ocean depths.

did you know?

In the wild Magellanic penguins average 10 years with some living as long as 20 years. In protected environments such as aquariums they can live to 35 years.

did you know?

While most groups of birds are called flocks, a group of penguins has a different name, a waddle, obviously based on the awkward way they walk on land.

did you know?

From Mid-September to mid-April Punta Tombo Peninsula in Argentina’s Patagonia region is home to half-a-million Magellanic penguins, the largest colony of this species in the world.

did you know?

The round trip migration of Magellanic penguins between breeding grounds north to foraging areas, and back to breeding grounds can be as long as 4,000 miles.
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Related Links · Aquarium of the Pacific
The above water view of the exhibit features Magellanic penguins, some of which were rescued from Brazil where they were stranded outside their native habitat. The penguins join the Aquarium’s collection of more than 11,000 animals in the institution’s fifty exhibits representing the diversity of the Pacific Ocean.

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