There are two kinds of gentoo penguins: the northern and the southern gentoo. Two thirds of the 350.000 gentoos live on South Georgia. The gentoo penguin can be recognized by the black back, the black breast, the white line on their forehead, the coral beak and the orange feet.

The average height of the northern gentoo is 81 centimetres and they weigh 6,2 kilograms. The southern gentoo is smaller (71 centimetres) and lighter (5,5 kilogram). They eat mostly krill and dive up to a hundred meters deep. Gentoos are the fastest swimmer of all birds. When they are in good shape, they can manage 27 kilometres an hour. Their preferred breeding colonies are on the Iles Kerguélen, on South Georgia and on a large number of islands of the Falklands. Gentoos build nests of stones, tussock grass or moss. The two eggs hatch after 35 days and are raised by both parents. The chicks fledge after 70 - 90 days.

Geographic Distribution