Without any fangs, claws, or sheer bite force to defend themselves, penguins prefer to avoid conflict rather than enter it. Penguins have several natural predators in Antarctica and in the sea as well. Well, penguins have evolved to develop several strategies that give them an advantage against predators that might be looking to […] Gentoo Penguins actually do very little to protect themselves. Past strong El Niño events have caused mortalities of up to 77 percent, with dramatic declines of prey species and reduced breeding success. Whereas most penguin species hunt in groups, Galapagos penguins usually hunt by themselves or in pairs, to ensure they search far and wide for food, and whilst most penguin species nest in colonies, the Galapagos penguin often makes solitary nests in order to take advantage of limited areas of shade. Galapagos Penguin Feeding. ... Where Do Galapagos Penguins Live? In fact, they are more likely to back off and let a predator invade their nest rather than trying to defend themselves. The remarkable Galapagos Penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) is the only penguin species to be found naturally north of the equator. Help us preserve, protect, and restore Galapagos. Among all banded penguins, the Galapagos penguin is the easiest to recognize because they have black feathers on most of their body, with some distinctive white marks on … What is being done to save the Galapagos Penguins? Galapagos penguins are monogamous and maintain 90% fidelity. A favorite among visitors to the islands, they are often seen sunning themselves on rocks or swimming, deftly catching fish with surprising quickness. Dipping in and out of the water keeps the adults cool, and the penguins build burrows in the rocks protect their young from the heat of the sun. Distribution / General: The Galapagos Penguin is the smallest member of the genus Spheniscus, which also includes the closely related Humboldt Penguin, and the Magellanic and African Penguins. The Galápagos Penguin survives due to the cool ocean temperatures resulting from the Humboldt Current and cool waters from great depths brought up by the Cromwell Current. They do need to eat abundantly at times so that they have fat stored up. When to see them: Galapagos penguins … ... which helps them to protect themselves from predators. They seem to be able to find enough all year long so that isn’t a problem for them. Even in these regions, penguins have predators in water and on land. Whereas most penguin species hunt in groups, Galapagos penguins usually hunt by themselves or in pairs, to ensure they search far and wide for food, and whilst most penguin species nest in colonies, the Galapagos penguin often makes solitary nests in … 1) Predators. Galapagos penguins are the smallest of the banded penguins, and they have no subspecies. Have you ever thought how do penguins protect themselves from predators? We never did anything to hurt the but in return we get dead penguins. Introduced species, such as dogs, carry diseases that can spread to penguins as well, and cats pose a threat as predators. Penguins are not well adapted to a life in the tropics, Galápagos penguins are the most northerly of all penguins, and do their best to avoid exposing themselves for too long out in the sun. Penguins are threatened by pollution, bycatch and climate change. It is the only penguin to live on the equator in a tropical environment. Penguins cooperate with each other to share information about possible threats to avoid an attack.