Two African Penguins (Spheniscus demersus) perched on a cliff in Boulders Bay, South Africa. One Penguin is moulting (molting).

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The African penguin (Spheniscus demersus), also known as the Cape The African penguin, and South African penguin, is a species of penguin confined to southern African waters. Like all extant penguins, it is flightless, with a streamlined body, and wings stiffened and flattened into flippers for a marine habitat. A molt occurs when a bird’s feathers are pushed out and replaced by new ones, a process resulting from hormonal and seasonal changes. Unlike other bird species that shed a few feathers during the year, once a year our little African Penguins actually undergo what is called a ‘catastrophic molt’, a 20 day period during which time each penguin loses all of its feathers at one time.

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Size: 3872px × 2592px
Location: South Africa
Photo credit: © Marie Young / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

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