About penguins and geography
I consider myself an expert on penguins. After all, I saw “Happy Feet” and “March of the Penguins.” I even bought them both for our home collection. I actually got to feed penguins at a Sea World exhibit 20-some years ago.
A conversation arose in our office yesterday about where penguins live, with at least one co-worker asserting that Alaska was among their home places. My initial response to that was “No way! Are you nuts?!?” And then I went on to say that Antarctica is their only habitat; a few seconds later I expanded that to include Peru, Chile and the Galapagos Islands. (Have I ever admitted here than I can be smug and snotty about this kind of stuff?)
There’s a news story this morning about the 1,000 Magellanic penguins that have recently washed onto the beaches of northern Brazil. Brazil? (Apparently southern Brazil is a natural habitat for them.) That news story led to further research. That research led to further research on the total range of penguins.
Well, my apologies and mea culpa. All that research led to the humbling realization that not only do I know very little about where penguins live (There! I said it!), I know even less about geography. The good news is that I know more now than I did yesterday.
African Penguins live in South Africa and Namibia. I knew already where Africa and South Africa are, but had to research to find Namibia, which I now know is northwest of South Africa, on the southern Atlantic coast.
There are tropical penguins, including the Galapagos Penguins. Oh yeah, I knew that, but I had to research to find the Galapagos Islands. I now know that the Galapagos Islands are just off the eastern coast of Ecuador. Then I had to look up Ecuador. (Duh. Do you think it’s a coincidence that “equator” and “Ecuador” sound so similar?)
Penguins also live in Australia and New Zealand. I knew where those are, but didn’t know they have penguins. Other sites of penguin habitation include Peru, Chile, Patagonia, the Falklands and Argentina.
Along the way I also learned there are 16 species of penguins… or 13… or 18, depending on whom you ask. Other tidbits: the smallest penguin is the Magellanic, and the largest is the Emperor Penguin. Researches have found fossilized remains of a penguin that exceeded six feet in height.