Adelie penguins are the most smallest penguins in the world on Antarctica and the most common.They are 28 inches tall and weigh up to 8-9 pounds. They can travel a steady speed of 4 to 7km/hr.! At sea, Adelie penguins are known to dive to a depth of 180 miles in search of prey although most of them dive 70% and are less than 45 m. These dives only last 100 seconds. Many factors affect the dive depth including the breeding season, period within mating season, sex, indivual variation, and most significantly colony. The estimated population is 5 million.
These penguins are one of the stiff-tailed penguins with long tail feathers that drags around when they walk on land. If they ever reach a hill they would go down hills by sledding on thier bellies. They can also jump out of the water onto land. Thier main diet is krill with a little bit of fish. Thier predators are leapord seals and skuas. The seals eat the adult birds and the skuas prey on the eggs and chicks.
Adelies build thier nests of pebbles on the beaches of Antartica. After bonding and mating the female will lay 2 eggs, but possibly three. The male will then keep the egg warm by holding it on the top of his feet. The female goes to eat till three weeks where she will then take care of the chick. To train the chick the parent will keep the food and make the chick chase him/her till it will get it. Unfortunately, often only one chick survives. Adelie penguins will have to defend thier nests because other penguins may steal the nest materials such as pebbles. |
