Small species of penguins – and the majority – live 10-15 years. Large species, for example, the imperial penguin, live for about 25 years. The main danger for penguins is represented by marine mammals, large birds, and some predatory fish.
The accommodation of penguins in the zoo provides them full security against natural enemies, but even this does not guarantee a high life expectancy. Penguins are very susceptible to fungal respiratory tract infection, which is the main cause of their death in captivity. However, the absence of inaccuracies in content makes it possible to approximate the life expectancy of these remarkable birds to a maximum of 25-30 years.
The life of any penguin begins with an egg. Some penguin species have several eggs (2-3) and only females of the imperial and royal penguin lay one egg each. After a few months, alternately hatching eggs, a pair of penguins have a small penguin in the light.
He has to go through a difficult path to become an adult and be able to survive in difficult circumstances. In the first 12 months, care for the penguin lies on the shoulders of his parents. This period is one of the most difficult for young chicks. Many of them die, never survive until a year. For example, in Adélie penguins, up to one-year-old age, half of the chicks out of total litter live. This happens not only because of predator hunting on them, but also because of a lack of food.
