Found: Africa's Oldest Penguins

Penguin fossils from 10 million to 12 million years ago have been unearthed in South Africa, the oldest fossil evidence of these cuddly, tuxedoed birds in Africa.

The new discovery, detailed in the March 26 issue of the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, could shed light on why the number of penguin species plummeted on Africa's coastline from four species 5 million years ago to just one today — Spheniscus demersus, or the jackass penguin, known for their donkey like calls.

Interesting Facts

  

- South American Magellanic penguins gobble down 1.5 million tons of silver side fish, squid and small, oily fish such as sprat every year.

-Emperors are the largest of all penguins—an average bird stands some 45 inches (115 centimeters) tall. These flightless animals live on the Antarctic ice and in the frigid surrounding waters.

- There are 6 kinds of penguins in Antarctica - The Ade'lie,  Chinstrap, Gentoo, Macaroni, King, and Emperor.

- The little or the fairy penguin is the smallest penguin. It is only 15 inches long.

- Penguins can swim at speeds of 8 miles per hour. Some penguins can stay in the water for more than 20 minutes.

The birds that swim

Penguins may not be able to fly across the sky, but they can fly underwater as well as any fish. Instead of wings, these birds have flippers that can propel their streamlined bodies up to 15 miles per hour through the sea in pursuit of a meal.

Penguins

Few animals are able to survive in the harsh climates of the Arctic and Antarctic. Some hardy birds travel to the polar regions to breed during the relatively warm summers. Some penguin species are able to withstand the bitter Antarctic  cold.

Penguin are a family of 17 to 19 species of birds that live primarily in the Southern Hemisphere. They include the tiny blue penguins of Australia and New Zealand  the majestic emperor penguins of Antarctica and king penguins found on many sub- Antarctic islands, the endangered African penguin and the Galapagos penguin—the only penguin to be found north of the equator.

Though they are birds, penguins have flippers instead of wings. They cannot fly and on land they waddle walking upright—though when snow conditions are right they will slide on their bellies. In the water they are expert swimmers and divers, and some species can reach speeds of up to 15 miles per hour. The penguin’s distinctive coloring—black body with white belly—helps camouflage the bird in the water as it searches for meals of small shrimp, fish, crabs and squid.