Gentoo Penguin

Gentoo Penguins are the world’s fastest underwater bird, swimming at speeds of up to 36km/h! Their wings are modified into powerful flippers to propel themselves forward.

When swimming, they tuck their feet tightly under their body, creating a streamlined shape to slice through water with top speeds. Gentoo Penguins use their long tail as a rudder for steering when they swim.

Gentoo Penguins can be easily identified by their bright reddish orange bills and a head marking that resembles a white headphone. They have the longest tail feathers of all penguins and they stick out like a brush.

In fact, Gentoos are classified as members of the brush-tailed penguins. Enjoy light-hearted moments as you watch them waddle, sweeping their tail feathers side to side!

Gentoo Penguins, as well as some other penguin species, do leap out of water, in the same way as dolphins — a behaviour is known as porpoising. Scientists believe that penguins porpoise to avoid predators.

Gentoo Penguins usually dive in shallow waters for fish, crustaceans, squids and krill. They can make up to a staggering 450 dives per day searching for food.

The male Gentoo Penguin is endearingly romantic. To impress a female, he searches painstakingly for the perfect proposal gift — a slightly flat, smooth pebble.

If the female likes it, she uses it to start building a nest, and the pair adds more pebbles to complete it.

Pebbles are great nesting materials as they allow ice and water to drain, keeping penguin eggs and hatchlings dry.

In November 2024, first-time parents Riki and Peach welcomed Mandai’s very first gentoo penguin chicks hatched two days apart.

This marked an important milestone, indicating that the gentoos are thriving in their purpose-built cold saltwater habitat at Ocean Network Express Penguin Cove.

The first baby developed well under its parents’ care, but our Animal Care team noticed that the second chick appeared to be underfed.

Often times in the wild, only one offspring survives as first-time parents struggle to provide for two chicks.

To ensure our younger hatchling’s survival, we hand-raised it when it was just two days old with regular feedings and attention.

It grew steadily and rejoined its parents in the exhibit less than two months later. Subsequently, another gentoo pair Citrus and Enzo reared its sole chick successfully.