The African Penguin is unusual phrase, but the fact remains: on this continent one of the species of spectacled penguins lives. Nowadays, it is on the verge of extinction. The main culprits are as always, people.
As we know, most penguins live in Antarctica and near the nearby islands. These lacking birds are also found on the coast of South America, Australia, New Zealand and on the southern coast of Africa, which is washes the cold Bengal.
Penguins are currently living on the coast of South Africa, Namibia and the coastal islands. Here one of the types of Point Penguins Point Points - Point Penguin, or African Penguin, or Oslen Penguin (named after a voice that resembles the sounds published by a donkey), or a black-legged penguin.
The African Penguin is the largest in the family. Its growth reaches 70 cm, it weighs 3-5 kg. Coloring is like most penguins: the back is black, white in front. Distinctive feature: there is a narrow black strip in the form of a horseshoe. On the body there are individual specks like fingerprints in humans.
Like all penguins, these also live with the colonies. In the twentieth century, there were no less than 2 million individuals, but in 2015 only about 150 thousand remained. The number declined due to the uncontrolled collection of eggs, which with the arrival of Europeans began to be exported to Europe.
In addition, there were places suitable for habitat of this bird, as well as the feed base due to the mass catch of fish in coastal waters. The basic diet of Penguins - Ferry Herring, Anchokov, Sardin and Crustry.
Hunting, penguins can move at a speed of 20 km / h and dive to a depth of more than 100 m. Without entering the shore, they swim up to 120 km.
In addition to a person, the enemies of adult paradise penguins are sharks for kids - seagulls and wild cats. Sea seals are doubly dangerous for penguins: like competitors for food and as predators.
The life expectancy of the African Penguin - 10-12 years old, becomes half the rise in the age of 4-5 years. Before the marriage period of penguins, most of the time are in the ocean.
With the onset of winter, nesting begins. African Penguins are faithful birds, the couple comes back to the old nest annually. The nest is arranged in a hole or crevice of the rocks. It is posted by twigs and slices of guano (the decomposed residues of the litter of birds and bats). Guano helps to save the desired temperature in the nest.
By the way, the Penguins maintain a comfortable body temperature help special organs located on the head above eye and having thin skin. Blood is sent to the body temperature to this organ. Since the skin is thin here, the blood is quickly cooled.
The female lays only 2 eggs. Within 40 days, parents are trying to have them. After the appearance of chicks to light for a month, one of the parents is constantly located near them. He protects offspring from enemies and heats, while the kids do not have its own thermoregulation.
Then the pingguins go to the "kindergarten", and both parents go to the ocean on the feed. Failure lasts about one and a half months, and at the age of 2-4 months the strengthened chicks go into coastal waters, where they spend almost two years. Then they return to the colony and linen, acquiring an adult plumage.
Lively not far from people, African penguins became friendly to them. Birds even allow themselves to rummage in things of the glory tourists.
To date, the African Penguin is listed in the International Red Book and in the Red Book of South Africa. He received the status of a threat of disappearance.Specialists believe that if decisive measures are not taken on the protection of spectacle penguins, they may disappear in the coming decades.
In South Africa, these days are introduced strict measures to visit tourists of the coast, where penguins dwell. Visitors should walk on special wooden packers. Approach, touch and feed birds is prohibited. Also for penguins nesting on the sandy coast, equip the special nesting houses.
Thanks to the measures taken, the hope for the restoration of the population of the African Penguin is.
Author - Lyudmila Belan-Chernogor
Source - Springzhizni.ru.