There are no penguins in the Arctic or the South Pole. One of the most common mistakes is that penguins live in the Arctic. In fact, this penguin-free region is home to another charismatic bird—the Atlantic puffin. These colorful birds dress up their black and white plumage with an orange, parrot-like beak and feet.
Learn more about the penguins of Antarctica! Three of those seven species only live on Antarctica for part of the year, but the other four spend their entire lives on the icy continent. The rest do live in the southern hemisphere, but not nearly so far south – in fact, one species of penguin actually live near the equator.
Skuas and sheathbills also eat penguin eggs and chicks. Penguins are only found in the Southern Hemisphere. The greatest concentrations are on Antarctic coasts and sub-Antarctic islands. There are 18 species of penguins, 5 of which live in Antarctica. Another 4 species live on sub-Antarctic islands.
Why are there no penguins at the South Pole?
That’s because penguins, which are plentiful along the Antarctic coasts—particularly the Antarctic Peninsula and the Ross Sea —are considered coastal animals, not land dwellers. So, despite what you may see in cartoons and other popular media, there are no penguins at the South Pole. The Arctic has several land predators.
Are penguins only found in cold climates?
Although almost all penguin species are native to the Southern Hemisphere, they are not found only in cold climates, such as Antarctica. In fact, only a few species of penguin live so far south.
Moreover, do penguins live in warm or cold climates?
My favorite answer was it depends on the species because while the penguins of the Galapagos withstand a warm climate, the Adelie penguins ( Pygoscelis adeliae) need low temperatures to avoid fainting; that is why, along with the emperor penguins, they are the only other species who live all their lives in Antarctica.