Learn about:
Rockhopper Penguins
The rock stars of the penguin world, rockhopper penguins are easy to identify with their cool yellow spiky hairdos and deep-red eyes.
6 amazing facts about the Rockhopper Penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome):
- There are actually 3 types of rockhopper penguin: Southern rockhopper, Northern rockhopper, and Eastern rockhopper. Some scientists believe the are 3 different species, while others argue they're just three varieties of the same species.
- All rockhopper penguins live in the subantarctic regions just above Antarctica: near the southern tip of South America, below Australia and New Zealand, or around the southern islands of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
- Although they are one of the most numerous penguin species, rockhopper penguins are threatened with extinction. Rockhopper populations have been in steady decline over the past few decades due to human activities and climate change.
- Northern rockhopper penguins have been classified as Endangered. Some studies have suggested that northern rockhopper populations have declined by almost 90% in just the last 75 years.
- Many penguin species get around by sliding on their tummies across icy fields. But rockhopper penguins live on rocky cliffs. So instead of sliding, rockhoppers have learned to be excellent jumpers.
- Even though they're only a foot and a half tall, rockhopper penguins are capable of jumping up to 6 feet at a time!
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Rockhopper or Rockstar?
Rockhopper penguins have very distinctive features: spiky yellow feathers that look like punk-rock eyebrows, big orange beaks, and piercing red eyes. And do you know an easy way to tell the males from the females? Well, we don't! Male and female rockhopper penguins look so similar that scientists need to take DNA tests to tell one way or another.
Hip Hop Hurray
You guessed it... rockhopper penguins are known for their excellent rock-hopping skills. They often live in rocky terrain and have become extremely skilled at jumping off of dangerous cliffs into huge waves. They're equally good at jumping out of the water and straight up steep and slippery rocks!
Fun Flipper Facts
Penguins' wings are famously bad for flying, but great for swimming! Rockhopper penguins' flippers are no exception. But, they do have some other handy purposes: flippers help rockhoppers balance themselves during leaps from rock to rock. Rockhopper penguins have also been known to use their flippers to slap each other, probably when fighting over an especially good nesting place.
