PENGUINS ON THE EQUATOR

BOERSMA, DEE; GARCÍA BORBOROGLU, PABLO; HOLT, K. A.; MERLEN, GODFREY

Global Penguin Ediciones

Lugar: Buenos Aires; Año: 2018 p. 16

9789873372179

TheGalápagos penguin is an exception to many common thoughtsabout penguins All penguin species, besides the Galápagospenguin, are strictly Southern Hemisphere birds (Figure 1 TheGalápagos penguin lives on the Equator and a few individuals liveand breed in the Northern Hemisphere on Isabela Island Theynever see ice and worry more about overheating than freezingWhen conditions are suitable, they can raise two young within threemonths In contrast, the King Penguin needs about 18 months toraise one chick All penguins, including Galápagos penguins, neednutrient rich waters to prosperTropicalwaters are usually nutrient poor, but parts of the Galápagosarchipelago are an exception to this rule In the Galápagos, theupwelling of the cold, Equatorial Undercurrent brings nutrients up tothe surface and into the light where photosynthesis occurs Theupwelling of nutrients supports a variety of ocean life, includingcold water corals, algae, and species like the Galápagos penguins,flightless cormorants, fur seals, sea lions, and whales The richestwaters are around Fernandina and the west coast of Isabela, whereupwelling is strongest and Galápagos penguins are most commonNutrient rich water is what allows penguins to live on the equator,but the availability of nutrients is inconsistent, making the islands apredictably, unpredictable placeGalápagospenguins are remarkable because they have adaptations,or tools, they use to deal with their unpredictable environment Themost important adaptation is a flexible life cycle Unlike otherpenguin species, there is no strict breeding season for theGalápagos penguin Even though this bird is highly adaptable, it isthe rarest penguin with the population estimated to be between1 800 and 4 700 individuals