Introduction

t's the bird with the unfair name. The Jackass penguin is no fool, having so far survived oil spills, poachers and predatory fishermen who have depleted its food stocks. The name comes from the loud, braying noise the bird emits.

The Jackass, or Blackfooted penguin is one of 17 species of penguin, which have the family name Spheniscidae; the Jackass penguin is Spheniscus dermersus.

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Out of the water, penguins move with an ungainly rolling waddle

Like other penguins, the Jackass has flippers instead of wings and spends most of its time at sea. Out of the water, penguins move with an ungainly rolling waddle, thanks to their short legs and stubby, torpedo-shaped bodies - but they can keep pace with a walking human.

Penguins lost their capacity for flight millions of years ago; they ''fly'' underwater using the same motions that other birds use to soar through the air. Using their feet to steer, they dive deeper than any other bird and can hold their breath for up to 20 minutes.

Like other penguins, the Jackass is covered in thick, short feathers that keep out water. Its back and face feathers are bluish black but the belly, neck and parts of the head are covered in feathers of the snowiest white. Across the chest runs a distinctive stripe of black feathers.

The average Jackass penguin weighs 6.3 pounds and stands 28 inches tall.