Download Galapagos penguin

Alicia Stith & Malik Westry
GALAPAGOS PENGUIN
 Scientific Name: Spheniscus Mendiculus
 Natural Habitat: Forages in the waters off
the South American islands; Mainly found on
Fernandina Island and on the west coast of
Isabella Island, but small populations are also
found scattered on other islands in the
Galapagos
 Diet: Feed on small fish including mullet and
sardines
 Size: approximately 50 cm (19.6 inches) in
height and they weigh approximately 2.2 kg
(4.8 lbs)
 Housing Requirements: these birds rest on
sandy shores and rocky beaches and nest on
areas of sheltered coast
 Climate Requirements: temperature at the islands stays
between 15 and 28 degrees Celsius (59–82 °F); usually
breed when the sea surface temperature is below 24
degrees Celsius
 Predator/prey: crabs, snakes, birds of prey, cats, dogs, rats,
sharks, seals and sea lions
 Reproduction:

reach reproductive maturity (female) 3 to 4 years old; (male) 4 to
6 years old
 4 to 6 eggs per season
 breeding season lasts throughout the year; however, most
breeding takes place between May and July
 Solitary or pack animal?
 Pack
Why/When Endangered
 Why are they endangered?
 The El Niño global weather pattern and ocean pollution
 When El Niño happens, ocean water gets warmer, and the fish
that Galápagos Penguins feed on will die; Nobody knows what
causes El Niño
 In the water: they are preyed on by sharks, fur seals, and sea lions
 On land: major threats include overheating, starvation, or
predation by introduced cats, dogs and rats on Isabella Island
 Human disturbance is the main cause for ecosystem harm that
affects the nesting grounds of Galapagos penguins
 June 2, 1970 -listed as endangered

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species & United States
Endangered Species Act
 Population left:
 Endangered population estimated between 3,000-8,000
penguins
 800 breeding pairs left in the world
 Conservation efforts:
 Recently the Galapagos Conservation Trust launched the
Sylvia Harcourt-Carrasco Bird Life Fund for Galapagos that
will aim much of its efforts at conserving the population of
Galapagos penguins
 The whole Galápagos Penguin population is found within
the Galápagos National Park and Marine Reserve. The
population is annually monitored and introduced predators
are controlled by the Galápagos National Park Service.
Galapagos Penguin Quiz
 1. Where are Galapagos Penguins found?
 2. What do Galapagos Penguins eat?
 3. Is the Galapagos Penguin a solitary or pack
animal?
 4. What are some reasons why the Galapagos
Penguin is endangered?
 5. How much of the Galapagos population is
left?
Works Cited
 http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=246
 http://www.theanimalfiles.com/birds/penguins/galapagos_penguin.
html
 http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Spheniscus_mend
iculus/
 http://www.konicaminolta.com/kids/endangered_animals/library/se
a/galapagos-penguin.html
 http://www.earthsendangered.com/%5C/profile-349.html
 http://eol.org/pages/1049620/details