Cape Penguin Skeleton or African Penguin measures 18 inches. African Penguin Skeleton Model is museum quality polyurethane cast. Made in USA.
The African penguin (Spheniscus demersus), also known as Cape penguin or South African penguin, is a species of penguin confined to southern African waters.
Like all penguins, it is flightless, with a streamlined body and wings stiffened and flattened into flippers for a marine habitat. Adults weigh an average of 4.9–7.7 lb and are 24–28 in. tall.
The species has distinctive pink patches of skin above the eyes and a black facial mask. The body’s upper parts are black and sharply delineated from the white underparts, which are spotted and marked with a black band.
The Cape Penguin or African penguin is a pursuit diver and feeds primarily on fish and squid.
Once extremely numerous, the African penguin is declining rapidly due to a combination of several threats and is classified as endangered. It is a charismatic species and is popular with tourists.
Other vernacular names of the species include black-footed penguin and jackass penguin, due to the species’ loud, donkey-like . They can be found along the coast of South Africa and Namibia.
The beak length of the African penguin varies, usually growing between 7.9–11.8 in. They have a black stripe and black spots on the chest, the pattern of which is unique to each penguin, like human fingerprints.
The sweat glands above the eyes cool the birds’ blood and as the temperature rises, increased blood flow causes the glands to get pinker.
This species exhibits slight sexual dimorphism; the males are slightly larger than the females and have longer beaks.
Cape Penguin or African penguin juveniles do not possess the bold, delineated markings of the adult, but instead have dark upperparts that vary from greyish-blue to brown; the pale underparts lack both spots and the band. The beak is more pointed than that of the Humboldt penguin.
The African penguin’s coloring is a form of protective colouration known as countershading. The white undersides of the birds are difficult to spot by predators under the water and the penguins’ black backs blend in with the water when viewed from above.
Cape Penguin or African penguins resemble and are thought to be related to the Humboldt, Magellanic and Galápagos penguins.
African penguins have a very recognisable appearance, with a thick band of black that is in the shape of an upside-down horseshoe. They have black feet and black spots that vary in size and shape between individuals.
