Test Your Penguin Smarts

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Quizzes Created: 8 | Total Attempts: 15,737

Questions: 8 | Attempts: 674 | Updated: Jan 16, 2023

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There are 18 species of penguins, and while all of them can be recognized by their black and white feathers, there are many characteristics that make each unique. See how much you know about the world’s penguins by taking our quiz in honor of World Penguin Day on April 25.

Questions and Answers

1.

Which penguin species can be found in the northernmost climate?
- A.
  
  Chinstrap
- B.
  
  Snares
- C.
  
  African
- D.
  
  Galapagos
- E.
  
  None of the above
- F.
  
  All of the above
Correct Answer
D. Galapagos

Explanation
Galapagos penguins live at the equator and are the northernmost species of penguin. They are also among the most endangered penguins, with only 1,500 breeding pairs left. These birds nest within crevices and caves in the lava from old volcanic eruptions and burrow underground to stay cool.

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1
2.

Penguins can be found in which location(s):
- A.
  
  The Antarctic
- B.
  
  The equator
- C.
  
  The Arctic
- D.
  
  A and B
- E.
  
  All of the above
Correct Answer
D. A and B

Explanation
Despite what major advertisers would have you believe, no penguins live in the Arctic. Polar bears and penguins can be seen together in cartoons and at zoos but never in the wild.

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3.

Which species of penguin(s) breeds on ice?
- A.
  
  Emperor
- B.
  
  Chinstrap
- C.
  
  Adélie
- D.
  
  None of the above
- E.
  
  All of the above
Correct Answer
A. Emperor

Explanation
Emperors breed on the sea ice, laying a single egg in the dead of winter. They have no nests, and the males stand for months of Antarctic night, holding the eggs on their feet to protect them from the deadly cold. Chinstrap and Adélie penguins breed on rocky hills and shores, not the ice.

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4.

Which of these penguin species is classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature?
- A.
  
  Galapagos
- B.
  
  Yellow-eyed
- C.
  
  Northern rockhopper
- D.
  
  None of the above
- E.
  
  All of the above
Correct Answer
E. All of the above

Explanation
According to the IUCN, the majority of penguin species are in decline. The state of their well-being is a portent of larger environmental conditions: These birds are sentinels for the health of the entire sea. Changes to their populations can indicate trouble for other species that depend on these waters for survival.

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5.

What threatens the world’s penguins?
- A.
  
  Food depletion
- B.
  
  Climate change
- C.
  
  Introduced predators and disease
- D.
  
  Habitat degradation
- E.
  
  None of the above
- F.
  
  All of the above
Correct Answer
F. All of the above

Explanation
Over millions of years, penguins have adapted to difficult conditions and diverse ecosystems. But today, all populations—in the cold of Antarctica to the warmth of the Galápagos Islands—are feeling the effects of human activities, including pollution, poorly managed fisheries, and habitat degradation. In addition, almost all penguins are threatened by climate change.

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6.

Identify the species based on this photograph.
- A.
  
  Emperor
- B.
  
  Chinstrap
- C.
  
  Erect-crested
- D.
  
  Yellow-eyed
- E.
  
  Northern rockhopper
- F.
  
  None of the above
Correct Answer
D. Yellow-eyed

Explanation
That’s a rare and elusive yellow-eyed penguin, which makes its home in New Zealand and on the sub-Antarctic Campbell and Auckland islands. It is purported to be the least social of all penguins, nesting in the forest and eating fish. It has a stripe of yellow feathers that runs from each eye and joins at the back of the head.

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7.

What is the deepest a penguin can dive?
- A.
  
  20 meters (22 yards)
- B.
  
  100 meters (110 yards)
- C.
  
  300 meters (330 yards)
- D.
  
  500 meters (550 yards)
- E.
  
  None of the above
- F.
  
  All of the above
Correct Answer
D. 500 meters (550 yards)

Explanation
Emperors are the best avian divers in the world, reaching depths of more than 500 meters with repeated dive times of up to 20 minutes.

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8.

Why are penguins black and white?
- A.
  
  The coloring helps them regulate their temperature.
- B.
  
  It makes it easier for the chicks to find adults on the ice.
- C.
  
  The coloring serves as an effective form of camouflage.
- D.
  
  All of the above
- E.
  
  None of the above
Correct Answer
C. The coloring serves as an effective form of camouflage.

Explanation
Penguins are well-suited for life on land and at sea. Their distinctive black-and-white coloring is a type of camouflage called countershading. It protects them from predators by blending their backs and bellies with the sea or the sky.

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Test Your Penguin Smarts

Which penguin species can be found in the northernmost climate?

Penguins can be found in which location(s):

Which species of penguin(s) breeds on ice?

Which of these penguin species is classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature?

What threatens the world’s penguins?

Identify the species based on this photograph.

What is the deepest a penguin can dive?

Why are penguins black and white?