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Gentoo penguin, Antarctica
Flightless but resourceful
While gentoo penguins are native to the oceanic islands that speckle the sub-Antarctic, our photo subject is one of a sizeable population that lives on mainland Antarctica. Gentoo colonies on the icy continent are clustered at the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, a bustling penguin metropolis shared with chinstrap, emperor and Adélie penguins. Unfortunately, this part of Antarctica is warming faster than any part of the world except the North Pole, which is threatening Adélies, for example, as they mostly eat krill attracted to ice-borne algae. On the brighter side, gentoos are noted for their ability to change their habits, including finding new food sources and breeding locations in response to climate change. This flexibility has helped them become the fastest—and only—growing population of penguins in the Antarctic region.
Flightless but resourceful
While gentoo penguins are native to the oceanic islands that speckle the sub-Antarctic, our photo subject is one of a sizeable population that lives on mainland Antarctica. Gentoo colonies on the icy continent are clustered at the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, a bustling penguin metropolis shared with chinstrap, emperor and Adélie penguins. Unfortunately, this part of Antarctica is warming faster than any part of the world except the North Pole, which is threatening Adélies, for example, as they mostly eat krill attracted to ice-borne algae. On the brighter side, gentoos are noted for their ability to change their habits, including finding new food sources and breeding locations in response to climate change. This flexibility has helped them become the fastest—and only—growing population of penguins in the Antarctic region.
The Antarctic Peninsula is home to several types of penguin, including the gentoo.
© David Merron Photography / Moment / Getty Images 2026-09-11 08:45:51 :