Last week, Mumbai’s Byculla Zoo announced the addition of two new Humboldt penguin chicks this year.
Humboldt Penguins
Humboldt penguins are medium-sized species among at least 17 species.
The exact number of distinct species is debated, but it is generally agreed that there are between 17 and 19 species.
The largest, the Emperor penguin, stands at over 4 ft tall while the Little penguin has a maximum height of 1 ft. Humboldt penguins have an average height of just over 2 ft.
The Humboldt penguin (Spheniscus Humboldt) belongs to a genus that is commonly known as the ‘banded’ group.’
Relation with the Humboldt Oceanic Current
Humboldt penguins are endemic to the Pacific coasts of Chile and Peru.
They are so named because their habitat is located near the Humboldt Current, a large oceanic upwelling characterized by cold waters.