黑脚企鹅是一种不会飞的鸟类，栖息在南非和纳米比亚的海岸。黑脚企鹅有黑色的背部、鳍状肢和足部，像面具一样的黑色脸部则被一圈白色皮毛环绕。它们的躯干也呈白色，胸口上有一条黑色条纹。黑脚企鹅的眼睛周围有粉红色的斑块，具有调节体温的效果。每只企鹅胸口的黑色斑纹都是独一无二的。黑脚企鹅身高约 60 至 68 厘米，体重约为 2.2 至 3.5 公斤。雄性的体型比雌性稍大，且有较长的喙。
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Spheniscus demersus
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african-penguin
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Animal Facts
African penguins cannot hunt while moulting as their feathers are not yet waterproof, so they fast until their plumage has fully grown in. Moulting takes 3 weeks and penguins lose 50% of their bodyweight in this time.
African penguins are preyed upon by sharks and fur seals in the ocean and kelp gulls, mongoose, cape genets and domestic cats and dogs on land.
The African penguin is also known as the Jackass penguin due to its donkey-like cry.
Penguin faeces, called guano, is an extremely effective fertilizer, but humans harvesting it disturbs the nest sites of African penguins and removes one of the main materials penguins use to build their nests.
African penguin eggs were seen as a delicacy up until the 1970s; this contributed to the species’ decline.
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