About the African Penguin
The African penguin, also known as Cape penguin or South African penguin, is a species of penguin confined to southern African waters. It is the only penguin found in the Old World. Like all penguins, it is flightless, with a streamlined body and wings stiffened and flattened into flippers for a marine habitat. Adults weigh an average of 2.2–3.5 kg (4.9–7.7 lb) and are 60–70 cm (24–28 in) tall. The species has distinctive pink patches of skin above the eyes and a black facial mask. The body's upper parts are black and sharply delineated from the white underparts, which are spotted and marked with a black band.
Source: Wikipedia
Taxonomy & Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Sphenisciformes |
| Family | Penguins (Spheniscidae) |
| Species | Spheniscus demersus |
| Species Codes | jacpen1, AFPE |
Frequently Asked Questions
What family does the African Penguin belong to?
The African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus) belongs to the Penguins family (Spheniscidae), in the order Sphenisciformes.
How can I identify the African Penguin?
The African penguin, also known as Cape penguin or South African penguin, is a species of penguin confined to southern African waters. It is the only penguin found in the Old World. Like all penguins, it is flightless, with a streamlined body and wings stiffened and flattened into flippers for a mar...
Where can I report a African Penguin sighting?
You can log sightings of African Penguin on eBird (ebird.org) using species code jacpen1, or on iNaturalist.