Size, Body Covering and Characteristics
Adapting to the environment About the Enclosure Wild vs captivity |
Fiordland Penguins are usually 60cm tall and 3.5 - 4kg in weight. The have stiff feathers and when they are defending their nest they will puff out the feathers on its chest. Fiordland Penguins are very timid, usually active on land during the night, and are hardly ever seen during the day. They live for 15 - 20 years.
Fiordland Penguins live in the icy waters of New Zealand, so they need to adapt in order to survive. One adaptation of the penguins is a thick layer of blubber to keep them warm when diving in the cold waters for food. Another adaptation is to puff out their feathers if another penguin gets too close to the penguin's nest. This scares it away. The enclosure of the Fiordland Penguins at Taronga Zoo is a pool, sand and grass. It is not the same as the icy waters of New Zealand and Tasmania, but it is sufficient for the penguins to live in. The Fiordland penguins' habitat is much different to the enclosure at Taronga Zoo. The actual habitat is rocky caves and mountains, icy waters and diving for food, while the enclosure is sandy, a pool of water and being hand-fed. |