The old feathers will simply fall off as they go through this molt. How do they grow those feathers? As new feathers grow in, they push out any old feathers and replace them. Therefore they do not need the waterproof feathers until they are a little bit older.
They spend the first few months being cared for by their parents in the nest and cannot go into the ocean until they are bigger. When they first hatch, their downy feathers help to keep them warm. Why are they not born with waterproof feathers? That’s another great question from Connor, age 9. In the water their webbed feet help them to steer when they are swimming. They have 3 toes on each foot and even have nails on the end of each toe that help them dig in the sand. Penguins have webbed feet, just like geese and ducks. What do their feet look? Thanks for the great question, Cassy, age 5. They do however, have wings, or flippers, that help them swim very quickly through the water. Why do penguins have fins? Penguins technically don’t have fins. Their feathers help them to stay warm in the water, but penguins are actually way too heavy for flight! Even though penguins have feathers, they cannot fly. By the time they are 3 months old they have grown in their first layer of waterproof feathers. When they hatch out of the egg, they are covered with fluffy gray down feathers. How deep can a penguin dive? African penguins can dive up to 100 meters.Īre they born with fur? Penguins are birds and just like all other birds they are covered with feathers. However, human related impacts like oil spills and plastic pollution are the penguin’s biggest threat. On land they have to watch out for flighted birds, feral cats and mongoose. In South Africa they have to avoid great white sharks, orcas, and Cape fur seals in the water. Usually they cruise at much slower speeds.ĭo penguins have predators? African penguins have a lot of predators. However, they typically only swim that fast when avoiding a predator or catching up to a school of fish. How fast can he swim? African penguins can swim at top speeds of up to 15 miles per hour. How many times a day do they eat usually? Our penguins are fed two to three times daily. Penguins that live in Antarctica on ice and snow have a much thicker layer of blubber. Since they are from Africa, they are more adapted for warmer weather. Our oldest penguin will be turning 33 on April 14 th!ĭo they have blubber? African penguins have a very thin layer of blubber. At the aquarium they don’t have to worry about predators, they don’t have to search for their food, and they receive world class veterinary care – all of which contribute to them living long healthy lives. In the open ocean they typically only live to be around 15 years old. How long do they live? Under human care African penguins have been known to live into their late 30’s early 40’s. How do they look under water? Underwater they look like perfect diving machines, like a submarine! Their bodies are very streamlined to help them swim at top speeds of 15mph! What type of penguin was featured? -Mystic Aquarium has 32 African penguins. Find the answers to all our questions here! Special thanks to all who tuned into our Facebook Live on March 26.