Know your penguinos II - the Gentoo
The penguin species that we saw the most of on our visit to Antarctica were the gentoos. A slightly larger bird than their genus-cousin chinstraps, these little guys were spread out everywhere. And upon further research, I learned that the gentoo have the widest distribution throughout the polar region of any penguin species. The little guys are everywhere. The most significant populations are concentrated on the Antarctic Peninsula and sub-antarctic islands, coincidentally the areas that we visited. Gentoo populations have suffered over the last century from human depredation and loss of habitat, but they appear to be stabilizing recently due to increased conservation efforts.Gentoos are distinguished from the smaller chinstrap penguins by their bright red-orange bills and conspicuous white patches behind their eyes. Long stiff tail feathers stick out behind them as they walk. When...
