This penguin blog will answer the major question, “What fish can penguins eat?” we will also discuss the major fish species consumed by penguins, how penguins hunt in the wild, and what is fed to penguins that are kept in captivity for breeding.
What fish can penguins eat?
Following are the fishes that can penguin eat:
- Lantern fish
- Capelin fish
- Mullet fish
- Sprats fish
- Herring fish
- Antarctica silverfish
These are the major fish species that are consumed by the different species of penguins according to the availability of the fish species.
What are the major fish species penguins can eat?
Following are the major fish species that penguins can eat:
Penguins can eat lantern fish
The first type of fish specie is the lantern fish which is consumed by the emperor penguins which are present near Antarctica where most of the penguin species are found. This fish is easy to consume and penguins dive into the water to catch it. It is a good source of protein for the penguins.
Penguins can consume capelin fish
This fish species is mainly consumed by the penguins that are kept in captivity. This fish species is small so it is easy to consume and the caretaker usually gives it manually to the penguins so they can consume it with great delight.
Penguins can consume herring
The next type of fish species is the herring fish which is consumed by the king penguins which are found near the north side of Antarctica. The region is cold but the penguins are there enjoying and hunting fish species like herring.
Penguins can eat Antarctica silverfish
The next type of fish that is consumed by the Antarctica penguins also known as the emperor penguins is the Antarctica silverfish.
The Antarctica silverfish is a specie of fish that is very delicious and is mainly the source of protein for penguins. Penguins’ diet consists of 90% fish which means they need low calories and high protein content to fulfill their diet.
This protein is utilized to build stronger muscles for swimming and the omega-3 fatty acids are used for creating a blanket of fat that acts as an insulator that does not allow the cool breeze to penetrate it. In this way, the diet of penguins can protect them from the cool breeze.
Penguins can eat mullet fish
Galapagos penguins can consume mullet fish which are small and they are present on the surface of the water like that of sardines which are also consumed by the Galapagos penguins. Mullet is small and tasty for penguins.
Penguins can also consume sprats
Sprats are also small fishes that are fed the penguins that are kept in captivity such as in zoos. These small fishes are easy to feed so the caretaker can feed them to the penguins. The penguins in captivity are not that good at hunting the bigger fish so they are served small fish like sprats.
How do penguins hunt in the wild?
The wild hunting behavior of the penguins is very unique and interesting. They live in an area where there is less food opportunity available so they have to hunt down each and every living being to eat. They feed on the fish they encounter.
First, they dive into the holes of the ice where there is flowing water. They stayed there for 20 minutes and look for prey. Once they locate the prey, they move towards it and then capture it in its strong beak and with the help of a spiny tongue consume it. This is the behavior in the daytime.
At night it is difficult to locate all kinds of prey. The only prey the penguins can locate is the one that is showing light in the dark. Penguins are not able to see clearly in the dark so at night they mostly go for the crustaceans because they give light.
What is fed to the penguins that are kept in captivity for breeding purposes?
Penguins are becoming extinct due to ongoing climate change. The conservation program is running to save the penguins from extinction and for this purpose, they are kept in zoos and conservation projects.
The fishes that are fed to the penguins in conservation programs are the mullet and sprats and besides that several crustaceans like shrimp and squid are also fed to them which acts as a source of protein for them in captivity where there is no hunting opportunity.
Conclusion
In this penguin blog, we answered the major question, “What fish can penguins eat?” we also discussed the major fish species consumed by penguins, how penguins hunt in the wild, and what is fed to penguins that are kept in captivity for breeding.
References
http://antarctica.kulgun.net/Animals/Penguins/zoo-penguins.shtml
