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Nov 10, 2020 · While penguins live primarily below the equator, it is a common misconception that all penguin species solely live in Antarctica. However, out of the 18 species of these flightless birds, only five enter the continent, and only two live there exclusively — the Adélie and emperor penguin.
Apr 9, 2022 · Only one species, the Galápagos penguin, lives north of the Equator - the rest live solely in the Southern Hemisphere. Of the 18 species of penguins, all but one species of penguin (the Galapagos penguin) live in the Southern Hemisphere, and around ten live either in the….
Penguins are flightless seabirds that live almost exclusively below the equator. Some island-dwellers can be found in warmer climates, but most—including emperor, adélie, chinstrap, and...
- Antarctica. Antarctica is a land of superlatives. It's the southernmost continent, largely uninhabited, and almost entirely covered in ice. It's also the highest, driest, coldest continent, and the one with the largest penguin population, with more than five million breeding pairs.
- Australia. Though Antarctica is now considered the homeland of penguins, research published in 2020 suggests that ancient penguin ancestors actually originated in Australia and New Zealand.
- Argentina. Argentina is a country in South America that occupies much of the southern portion of the continent. Here, expansive coastlines and chilly south Pacific waters support large populations of Magellanic penguins, a mid-sized species with white stripes on their heads and across their chests.
- Falkland Islands. The Falkland Islands are a remote archipelago in the south Atlantic Ocean, about 300 miles east of Patagonia in South America. While this chain of rugged islands with sandy beaches and cliff-lined coasts is home to only 3,500 people, it is a true capital on the penguin world.
The Galápagos penguin is the only species found north of the equator and in the Galápagos. Learn about the penguins, as well as the threats they face, what WWF is doing to protect their future, and how you can help.
The northern tip of Isabela crosses the equator, meaning that some Galápagos penguins live in the Northern Hemisphere, the only penguins to do so.
They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere: only one species, the Galápagos penguin, is found north of the Equator. Highly adapted for life in the ocean water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage and flippers for swimming.
