Chinstrap penguin

The chinstrap penguin is easy to recognise: a thin black line runs under its white chin like the strap of a helmet. It lives on islands and shores of the Southern Ocean and Antarctic region, and breeds in huge colonies on the Antarctic Peninsula area and nearby islands such as the South Shetlands.

It is about 68 to 76 centimetres long and weighs between 3.2 and 5.3 kilograms. It is known for its loud, harsh call, and for the way it waddles on short, stumpy legs. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern. Its black back and white front help it hide in the water.

Diving for dinner

Chinstraps eat krill, small fish, shrimp and squid, and may swim up to 80 kilometres offshore in a day to find them. Tightly packed feathers make a waterproof coat, and thick blubber and clever blood vessels in the flippers and legs help keep heat in. Their black back and white belly are countershading, which hides them from predators looking up or down in the water.

Colony life and enemies

On land the penguins build round nests of stones and lay two eggs, which both parents share in keeping warm. At sea the main enemy is the leopard seal, which takes roughly five to twenty percent of their population every year. On land, skuas and giant petrels go after eggs and chicks. Research says a chinstrap takes more than 10,000 tiny four-second naps a day.

On the globe

The model stands on the South Shetland Islands near Antarctica. Look for the thin black line under the chin.