Penguins of the world - a painting of 17 species of penguins

Penguins of the world - a painting of 17 species of penguins

• An original watercolour painting on 425gsm paper, size 720mm x 540mm
• A2 signed posters - PRE-ORDERS being taken NOW ready for posting to you in mid July 2026
• a digital file for self printing

How many species of penguins are there? Taxonomists, who call them sphenisciformes, can't agree. Maybe 16, perhaps 18. I have illustrated 17.

If you don't love penguins ...

... seek professional help! These seabirds of the southern hemisphere live and breed in some of the harshest conditions on the planet. Though flightless, they are expert swimmers. They dive to great depths to catch their prey - mostly slippery fish, squid and krill. That's why they have spiny tongues.

The penguin species I've illustrated are:

LARGE PENGUINS

• Emperor 
• King 

BRUSH TAILED PENGUINS

• Chinstrap
• Gentoo
• Adelie

BANDED PENGUINS

• Galapagos
• Humboldt
• African
• Magellanic

CRESTED PENGUINS

• Royal
• Snares
• Fiordland
• Erect-crested
• Macaroni
• Rockhopper (there are two species, Northern and Southern - I have illustrated only one as they are very similar)

OTHER PENGUINS

• Yellow-eyed
• Little blue (taxonomists are still deciding as to whether the Australian and New Zealand populations are subspecies or racial types) 

So why do humans love penguins so much?

With their distinctive black and white counter-shaded plumage, to us they look charmingly well-dressed. Their waddling gait when walking appears comical. But don't be fooled! They can walk miles, and often have to climb over rocks to and ice to get where they need to be.

Their speed and grace underwater is jaw-dropping. They create life-long bonds with their partners and raise their families in exceptionally harsh environments. 

All these characteristics resonate deeply with humans. But...

...many species are now critically endangered. Why?

• Climate change. Some penguins need stable sea ice on which to raise chicks. If the ice melts early, or there's not enough ice all the chicks will be lost. And rising sea temperatures affects the creatures they feed on.
• Overfishing means the birds cannot find enough food for themselves or their chicks.
• Pollution including oil spills and plastic waste, destroys both their habitats and their feathers, causing starvation and death.
• Predators In some places where they breed introduced animals like cats, dogs, and rats destroy penguin colonies by feeding on eggs and chicks.
• Entanglement Penguins breathe air, so if they become entangled in fishing nets they will drown.

There are many self-sustaining captive populations in zoos throughout the world, and my spirits are always lifted when I see them. But I have also been lucky enough to see five species living wild and free: 

• yellow-eyed (in New Zealand)
• humboldt (in Chile)
• little blue (in New Zealand)
• galapagos (in Galapagos)
• African (in South Africa)