Black-Footed Penguins

The penguins at the Henson Robinson Zoo are Black-Footed Penguins. All penguins are aquatic, that is they often are found in water, and are flightless. They are found in a variety of climates ranging from Antarctica to the warm Galapagos Islands located at the equator. There are eighteen species of penguins recognized in the world, the Black-footed Penguins are the only ones found in warm southern and southwestern Africa. The Black-footed Penguin is the only species indigenous to Africa. While other birds swim by suing their feet, penguins use three wings to propel themselves through the water. These penguins are among the least studied penguins and at this time little is known of the breeding habits of the Black-footed penguin. Their numbers have suffered serious reduction in the last three decades due to oil spills from tankers.