It’s easy to assume that all penguins are the same, right? However, that’s not the case! Did you know that several types of penguins are warming up our ocean? Of course, some can only be seen along the polar regions, but that doesn’t mean they don’t belong! 

Today, we will get to know some types of adorable penguins that are having their way in the coldest regions. You might know some of them as they have already been featured in the famous movie, “Happy Feet.” 

So, what are you waiting for? Check these cute creatures down as we give you 7 types of penguins in the ocean! 

7 Different Types of Penguins Roaming In The Ocean 

When you think of penguins, you can easily imagine those flightless cute little birds with tuxedo-like appearances. But some of them don’t have one! Come check them out! 

Royal Penguins

Royal penguins are named for the distinct plumes on their head, and Royal Penguins are definitely some of the most adorable penguin species on the planet! Have you seen their babies? They are the cutest! 

They are commonly found within Australian Islands: bishops, Clerks, and Macquarie. These penguins are often mistaken as Macaroni Penguins. However, they are relatively larger than their penguin counterparts.

In addition, male penguins grow larger than female ones, and when breeding season starts, female penguins can reach up to 13 pounds and slim down to around six once they have successfully given birth. 

Galapagos Penguins

While most penguins live around the polar regions, Galapagos penguins don’t. They prefer temperate regions and are the only penguin species known to live along the north of the equator. 

Some of their distant relatives are the Humboldt, Magellanic, and African Penguins. They really love tropical to sub-tropical climates and don’t wander off far from where they live. 

Galapagos Penguins can easily be distinguished by their white band under their chins and into the back of their ears and eyes. These penguins mate for life and are known for feeding on sardines, anchovies, and other cold-water schools of fish. 

King Penguins 

Behind the Emperor Penguin, the King Penguin is the second largest penguin species in the world. They can grow to around 35 inches tall and weigh around 45 pounds! That’s quite amazing, considering they are known to reach these sizes.

These penguins have an extensive population along the Sub-Antarctic Islands and can go north to Patagonia. One of their distinct features that separates them from other penguins is their orange-colored ear patches within their upper chests.

Their primary food source is lantern fish, which are quite populous in the Antarctic regions. When the cold season arrives, they hunt for lots of squids. One of their main predators is the leopard seals and killer whales.

Fairy Penguins 

New Zealanders call these penguins Little Blue Penguins, while Australians call them Fairy Penguins. They have named these ways in reference to their blue-colored feathers and relatively small size. 

In addition, the fairy penguins are the smallest penguin species in the world. They can grow to about a foot tall and weigh around one to three pounds. If you compare these penguins to other birds of the same size, they live relatively long, as they can reach 20 years of age. 

They spend their day in the water for about 18 hours, frolicking, hunting, and playing with their clan. If these are not the cutest, I don’t know what they are! 

Adelie Penguins       

Adelie penguins are easily distinguishable by the white rings around their eyes. However, it can be quite difficult to distinguish male from female Adelie penguins because they look the same.

They are often found along the polar regions and are often seen sliding, having fun, and basking on the cold wind breeze these regions offer. During their mating season, almost one hundred thousand Adelie penguins return to their breeding grounds just to mate. 

One of their bizarre talents is their ability to swim far from their breeding site, which can go nearly 750 miles in one sitting! That’s pretty incredible, but know these species; they are agile swimmers and cover distance in such a short amount of time.

Northern Rockhopper Penguin

While they look intimidating at first because of their distinct bright red eyes and yellow eyebrows, don’t let it fool you! These are creatures known to hop on rocks using their thick-skinned feet, hence their name, Rockhoppers.

They are mainly found along the South Atlantic Regions and within the Indian Ocean. The Northern Rockhopper Penguins are highly territorial and are most notable for their spunky behaviors. 

However, if you just go about your day, they won’t interfere with you and will just go on about their day as well.

Emperor Penguin

Emperor Penguins are the largest species of penguins. They can grow for around 4 feet and weigh up to 40 kilograms! These penguins are also known to be the deepest divers of bird species on the planet.

One of their common characteristics is they don’t nest. They are the only capable creatures on the planet of breeding in some of the most bizarre conditions in the Antarctic Winter. 

Emperor Penguins, like most penguins, are friendly. And it’s because penguins are known to be social creatures. If you happen to see one on Discovery Channel or National Geographic channel, they can be seen living with around 100 and up to a thousand groups! 

Wrapping Things Up

Penguins are amazing creatures, and there are 18 known species of penguins scattered across the polar regions, albeit the Galapagos penguins are on the northern part of the equator. 

Scientists and researchers have discovered that their species had long existed in this world before dinosaurs went extinct. This tells us that these cute little creatures have lived in this world for millions of years! 

Over time, due to adaptation and evolution, the types of penguins have been split into many kinds, most of which we enjoy as they are the highly social creatures that only know to have fun while we observe them today. 

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