Wildlife
Gentoo penguin
Gentoo penguins are quite distinct from any other penguin, with the white stripe across the top of the head and bright orange bill. They are also better swimmers and divers than other penguins. Their super-streamlined bodies make them the fastest penguin underwater, able to reach speeds of 36kph, and they can dive to 170 metres down into the deep ocean. Gentoos breed in colonies in the harsh, cold climate of the islands surrounding the Antarctic, using nests made of stone and grass. Their droppings then fertilise the grass ready for the following year.
Scientific name: Pygoscelis papua
Rank: Species
Watch video clips from past programmes (5 clips)
In order to see this content you need to have an up-to-date version of Flash installed and Javascript turned on.
Too hot to handle
Frozen Planet
While Adelie penguins are in decline, gentoo penguins are moving in.
While Adelie penguins are in decline, gentoo penguins are moving in.
Equally matched
Frozen Planet
Penguins can be difficult to catch in sea and on land.
Penguins can be difficult to catch in sea and on land.
Flying penguins
Frozen Planet
Gentoo penguins are masters of the sea and surf.
Gentoo penguins are masters of the sea and surf.
First swim
Andes to Amazon
Deadly predators hide in the shallows near the beach.
Deadly predators hide in the shallows near the beach.
Food on the run
Andes to Amazon
Gentoo penguins make their chicks work hard for the supper.
Gentoo penguins make their chicks work hard for the supper.
Distribution
The Gentoo penguin can be found in a number of locations including: Antarctica. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
Habitats
The following habitats are found across the Gentoo penguin distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
Behaviours
Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Paternal care
Helpless young
Adapted to swimming
Carnivorous
Colonial
Acoustic communication
Maternal care
Monogamous
Egg layer
Social
Cold tolerant
TerritorialAdditional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Conservation Status
Near Threatened
- EX - Extinct
- EW
- CR - Threatened
- EN - Threatened
- VU - Threatened
- NT
- LC - Least concern
Population trend: Decreasing
Year assessed: 2008
Classified by: IUCN 3.1
About
The Gentoo Penguin ( /ˈdʒɛntuː/ jen-too), Pygoscelis papua, is easily recognized by the wide white stripe extending like a bonnet across the top of its head and its bright orange-red bill. The gentoo penguin has pale whitish-pink webbed feet and a fairly long tail - the most prominent tail of all penguins. Chicks have grey backs with white fronts. As the Gentoo penguin waddles along on land, its tail sticks out behind, sweeping from side to side, hence the scientific name Pygoscelis, which means ‘rump-tailed’. Adult Gentoos reach a height of 51 to 90 cm (20–36 in), making them the third largest species of penguin after the two giant species, the Emperor Penguin and the King Penguin. The Gentoo penguin calls in a variety of ways, but the most frequently heard is a loud trumpeting which is emitted with its head thrown back.
The application of Gentoo to the penguin is unclear, according to the OED, which reports that Gentoo was an Anglo-Indian term, used as early as 1638 to distinguish Hindus in India from Muslims, the English term originating in Portuguese gentio (compare "gentile"); in the twentieth century the term came to be regarded as derogatory.[citation needed]
This entry is from Wikipedia, the user-contributed encyclopedia. If you find the content in the 'About' section factually incorrect, defamatory or highly offensive you can edit this article at Wikipedia. For more information on our use of Wikipedia please read our FAQ.
Classification
- Life
- Animals
- Vertebrates
- Birds
- Sphenisciformes
- Penguins
- Brush-tailed penguins
- Gentoo penguin
Sounds
-
Gentoo penguin nest (03:38)
Elsewhere on the web
- Animal Diversity Web (animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu)
- Species description and characteristics (antarcticconnection.com)
- ARKive: Images of Life on Earth (arkive.org)
- IUCN Red List information (iucnredlist.org)
- Gentoo penguins (penguins.cl)
- The life of gentoo penguins (pinguins.info)
- Gentoo Penguin (wikipedia.org)
bbc.co.uk navigation
BBC links
BBC © 2012 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.
