Northern rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes moseleyi) covered in spilled oil from the wreck of the MS Oliva, Nightingale island, Tristan da Cunha Group, South Atlantic Ocean

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) detail at breeding and nesting colony at St. Andrews Bay on South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) breeding and nesting colony at Salisbury Plain in the Bay of Isles, South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) breeding and nesting colony at Salisbury Plain in the Bay of Isles, South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) swimming near the nesting beach at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia, Polar Regions

Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae), in snow storm at breeding colony at Brown Bluff, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica, Polar Regions

Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae), at breeding colony at Brown Bluff on the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica, Polar Regions

Adult southern rockhopper penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome chrysocome) at breeding and molting colony, Falkland Islands, South America

First year Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) chick at breeding colony at Brown Bluff, Antarctica, Polar Regions

Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) adult feeding chick at breeding colony at Brown Bluff, Antarctica, Polar Regions

First year Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) chick at breeding colony at Brown Bluff, Antarctica, Polar Regions

Dead Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) attacked and killed, but not eaten, by an Antarctic fur seal at Brown Bluff, Antarctica, Polar Regions

Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica) breeding colony at Baily Head on Deception Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica) molting at Baily Head on Deception Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica) breeding and molting at Half Moon Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) adult feeding chick at Hannah Point on Livingston Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) adult with chick on Cuverville Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) adult with chicks at breeding colony on Booth Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) adult with chicks at breeding colony on Booth Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) adult with chicks on Cuverville Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) adult with chick on Cuverville Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) nesting colony at Jougla Point on Wiencke Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) on ice near Devil Island in the Weddell Sea near the Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica, Polar Regions

Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) in snowstorm at Brown Bluff on the Antarctic Peninsula in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) breeding and nesting colony on South Georgia Island, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) breeding and nesting colony on South Georgia Island, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) breeding and nesting colony on South Georgia Island, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Adult king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) in the act of feeding chick on South Georgia Island, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Adult king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) and chick on South Georgia Island, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Adult king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) in the act of feeding chick on South Georgia Island, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Adult rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome chrysocome) at breeding and molting colony on New Island, Falkland Islands

Adult rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome chrysocome) at breeding and molting colony on New Island, Falkland Islands

Adult king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) returning to sea from the nesting colony at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia, Polar Regions

Macaroni penguins (Eudyptes chrysolophus) scrambling up steep cliffs at Hercules Bay on South Georgia Island, Polar Regions

Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae), at breeding colony at Brown Bluff on the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica, Polar Regions

Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae), with chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarctica), on ice at Booth Island, Antarctica, Polar Regions

Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae), with chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarctica), on ice at Booth Island, Antarctica, Polar Regions

Adult gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua), feeding chicks at Brown Bluff near the Antarctic Peninsula, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarctica), ecstatic display at breeding colony at Half Moon Island, Antarctica, Polar Regions

Adult gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua), on eggs at Port Lockroy, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) feeding underwater on small baitfish in the Galapagos Islands, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ecuador, South America

Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) feeding underwater on small baitfish in the Galapagos Islands, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ecuador, South America

Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) feeding underwater on small baitfish in the Galapagos Islands, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ecuador, South America

Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) feeding underwater on small baitfish in the Galapagos Islands, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ecuador, South America

Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) feeding underwater on small baitfish in the Galapagos Islands, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ecuador, South America

Adult gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua), leaping off ice shelf at Cuverville Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Adult gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua), returning from the sea at Booth Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Adult gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua), leaping into the sea at Booth Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Adult gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua), mating at Booth Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Adult macaroni penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus) porpoising for speed while traveling to their breeding colony on South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) adult and chick at breeding and nesting colony at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia, Polar Regions

Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) adult feeding chick at breeding colony at Brown Bluff, Antarctica, Polar Regions

First year Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) chicks at breeding colony at Brown Bluff, Antarctica, Polar Regions

Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica) breeding and molting at Half Moon Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) adult feeding chick at Hannah Point on Livingston Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) breeding colony on Booth Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Adult gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) with minutes-old newly hatched chick at Gold Harbor on South Georgia

Adult rockhopper penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome chrysocome) at breeding and molting colony on New Island, Falkland Islands

A rare melanistic king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus), feeding its okum boy chick at Fortuna Bay, South Georgia Island, Polar Regions

Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae), feeding chick at breeding colony at Brown Bluff, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica, Polar Regions

Author Carl Safina photographing a pair of Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus), Patagonia, Argentina, South America

Adult gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua), amongst Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae), at Brown Bluff, Antarctica, Polar Regions

Adult gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua), returning and coming from the sea at Booth Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica), ecstatic display at breeding colony at Half Moon Island, Antarctica, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) breeding and nesting colony at St. Andrews Bay on South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) swimming near the nesting beach at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia, Polar Regions

Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) adult defending chick against a skua on Torgersen Island, Antarctica, Polar Regions

Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica) breeding colony at Baily Head on Deception Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) chick at Jougla Point, Wiencke Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) chicks covered with mud and guano on Cuverville Island, Antarctica, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) breeding and nesting colony on South Georgia Island, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) breeding and nesting colony on South Georgia Island, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) breeding and nesting colony, and seals, South Georgia Island, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica) breeding colony at Cooper Bay, South Georgia

Sunrise on king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) at nesting and breeding colony at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia, Polar Regions

Adult king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) amongst chicks at breeding colony at Gold Harbour, South Georgia Island, Polar Regions

Adult chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarctica), mating at breeding colony on Half Moon Island, Antarctica, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) adult and chick at breeding and nesting colony at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) adult and chick at breeding and nesting colony at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia, Polar Regions

Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) breeding colony at Brown Bluff on the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica, Polar Regions

First year Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) chicks at breeding colony at Brown Bluff, Antarctica, Polar Regions

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) breeding and nesting colony on South Georgia Island, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

King penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) in downy plumage (okum boys) on South Georgia Island, Polar Regions

Adult gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) with minutes-old newly hatched chick at Gold Harbor on South Georgia

Adult gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) feeding minutes-old newly hatched chick at Gold Harbor on South Georgia

Creative motion blur image of adult king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) returning to the sea on South Georgia, Polar Regions

Magdalena Island, Magallanes Region, Punta Arenas, Chile, South America

Adult king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) returning to sea from the nesting colony at Salisbury Plain, South Georgia, Polar Regions

Guano in an Adelie Penguin, Pygoscelis adeliae, colony at Madder Cliffs, Suspiros Bay, at the west end of Joinville Island, Antarctica. Adelie's are a true Antarctic species which are suffering as a result of climate change, The Antarctic Peninsular, their only breeding grounds, is one of the fastest warming areas on the planet. This is causing Adelies to migrate south. They are reducing in numbers, they feed almost exclusively on Krill, which is also declining as a result of climate change.

Adult Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) inspecting a non-viable egg at Devil Island, Antarctic Peninsula. Adelie penguins are truly an ice dependant penguin species.

Adult Southern Rockhopper Penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome chrysocome) in the Falkland Islands. This is the smallest yellow-crested, black-and-white penguin in the genus Eudyptes. It reaches a length of 45-58 cm (18-23 in) and typically weighs 2-3.4 kg (4.4-7.5 lb), although there are records of exceptionally large rockhoppers weighing 5 kg (11 lbs). Their common name refers to the fact that unlike many other penguins which negotiate obstacles by sliding on their bellies or by awkward climbing using their flipper-like wings as aid, Rockhoppers will try to jump over boulders and across cracks. This behavior is by no means unique to this species however - at least the other "crested" penguins of the genus Eudyptes hop around rocks too. Southern Rockhopper Penguins have a global population of roughly 1 million pairs, perhaps a bit more. About two-thirds of the global population belongs to E. c. chrysocome which breeds on the Falkland Islands and on islands off Argentina and southern Chile. The Southern Rockhopper Penguin is classified as Vulnerable species by the IUCN.

Adult Adelie penguin pair (Pygoscelis adeliae) hauled out on an iceberg at Devil Island, Antarctic Peninsula. Adelie penguins are truly an ice dependant penguin species.

Adult Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) tobogganing on an ice floe in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica. This penguin species is totally dependant on ice.

Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) hauled out on an iceberg in a snowstorm near Paulet Island, Antarctic Peninsula. Adelie penguins are truly an ice dependant penguin species.

Adult Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) hauled out on an iceberg at Devil Island, Antarctic Peninsula. Adelie penguins are truly an ice dependant penguin species.

King Penguin colony (Aptenodytes patagonicus) guarding against a Southern Giant Petrel (Macronectes gigantes) on South Georgia Island, southern Atlantic Ocean.

Adult Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) leaping from the sea onto ice floes near Heroina Island in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica. This penguin species is totally dependant on ice.

Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) mock-mating (it is not mating season) on the beach on Paulet Island, Antarctic Peninsula. Adelie penguins are truly an ice dependant penguin species.

Three species of brushtail penguins (gentoo, Adelie, and chinstrap) all together on an iceberg in the Weddell Sea, on the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula

Adult Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) in the Galapagos Island Group, Ecuador. This is the only species of penguin in the northern hemisphere and is endemic to the Galapagos only.