Penguins And Penguin Facts

Unique albino from Polish zoo named international penguin of the year

/© Gdansk Zoo, © Notes from Poland

An albino penguin born in a zoo in the Polish city of Gdańsk – the only one of its kind kept in captivity in the world – has been chosen as penguin of the year in an international contest.

Five-year-old female African penguin Kokosanka won almost 83% of public votes cast in the final round of March Of The Penguin Madness, an annual contest organised by Penguins International, an organisation committed to preserving and protecting penguins.

As a reward for her success, Kokosanka was presented by staff at her zoo with a cake made from herring caught in the nearby Baltic Sea, her favourite snack.

When Kokosanka hatched in Gdańsk in December 2018, her birth was initially kept a secret. Her carers feared that her albinism would mean she had poor health or that she would be rejected by her parents and other penguins.

Although Kokosanka was indeed initially rejected by her parents, with the support of her keepers she has grown into a healthy adult, well integrated with the other 84 penguins living at the zoo on Poland’s northern Baltic coast.

She has also become an informal face of Gdańsk Zoo, which offers Kokosanka-themed merchandise to its visitors.

Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) in Antarctica

Dive into the wonderfully-winged world of African penguins with the Aquarium’s own aviculturist, Kim! From rocky shores to sandy beaches, explore where these charismatic birds call home. 💙🪨🏠

Unique albino from Polish zoo named international penguin of the year

/© Gdansk Zoo, © Notes from Poland

An albino penguin born in a zoo in the Polish city of Gdańsk – the only one of its kind kept in captivity in the world – has been chosen as penguin of the year in an international contest.

Five-year-old female African penguin Kokosanka won almost 83% of public votes cast in the final round of March Of The Penguin Madness, an annual contest organised by Penguins International, an organisation committed to preserving and protecting penguins.

As a reward for her success, Kokosanka was presented by staff at her zoo with a cake made from herring caught in the nearby Baltic Sea, her favourite snack.

When Kokosanka hatched in Gdańsk in December 2018, her birth was initially kept a secret. Her carers feared that her albinism would mean she had poor health or that she would be rejected by her parents and other penguins.

Although Kokosanka was indeed initially rejected by her parents, with the support of her keepers she has grown into a healthy adult, well integrated with the other 84 penguins living at the zoo on Poland’s northern Baltic coast.

She has also become an informal face of Gdańsk Zoo, which offers Kokosanka-themed merchandise to its visitors.

During 2022, argentinian researchers studying penguins in Antarctica found a melanistic gentoo Penguin (Pygoscelis papua) with an unusual plumage coloration in Esperanza/Hope Bay, north of the Antarctic Peninsula. The unusual coloration of the penguin was identified as melanism, a genetic condition that causes an excess of melanin pigment in feathers, this phenomenon is also found in other vertebrates. This partially black gentoo pengui appeared to be in good health and exhibited normal behavior. According to scientists, melanism is unusual, and may occurs in one in 250,000 penguins.

Mega penguins: These are the largest penguins to have ever lived

No penguin alive today can compare with some of the extinct giants that once roamed the planet, including Kumimanu fordycei, Petradyptes stonehousei and Palaeeudyptes klekowskii.

During 2022, argentinian researchers studying penguins in Antarctica found a melanistic gentoo Penguin (Pygoscelis papua) with an unusual plumage coloration in Esperanza/Hope Bay, north of the Antarctic Peninsula. The unusual coloration of the penguin was identified as melanism, a genetic condition that causes an excess of melanin pigment in feathers, this phenomenon is also found in other vertebrates. This partially black gentoo pengui appeared to be in good health and exhibited normal behavior. According to scientists, melanism is unusual, and may occurs in one in 250,000 penguins.

Penguins!

Their feathers are absolutely redonkulous

They have a fascinating fossil record with tons of species, many of which were h u g e

Unlike literally all other dinosaurs, their bones are DENSE. and HEAVY. (for their size)

They really do "fly" underwater, and look amazing doing so

As Dr. Holtz says,