King George Island Expedition

Welcome to Victory Adventure Expeditions Ltd., the world's most southern cruise agency. Expeditions to the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia, Cape Horn, Falklands & Tierra Del Fuego. On these sailing tours you'll see: Majestic mountains dipped in snow...Crystalline waterways...Dolphins, seals... Soaring Andes condors...Ice-blue Glaciers that shimmer like jewels...

VICTORY ADVENTURE'S SOUTHERN OCEANS EXPEDITIONS

The Chinese Research Base in Antarctica

The Chinese Lounge with some of VAE's clients

King George Island Gentoo Penguins

PENGUINS
Penguins belong to the class Aves (the birds), and are members of the order Sphenisciformes, which contains only one family, Spheniscidae, of which all penguin species are members.
This single-family www.fotoorder is known as "Gregg's paraox", after the first taxonomer to complain about it. There are 18 species of penguins alive today, divided into 6 genera:

* Eudyptes: 6 species
* Spheniscus 4 species
* Pygocelis 3 species
* Aptenodytes 2 species
* Eudyptula 1 (or 2) species
* Megadyptes 1 species

* Genus Aptenodytes Aptenodytes means "Featherless Diver". The Aptenodytes are the largest and most colourful penguins, with bright orange/yellow ear-patches and chest markings.
* Aptenodytes forsteri Common Name: Emperor Height: 115cm Weight: 30kg
* Aptenodytes patagonicus Common Name: King Height: 94cm Weight: 15kg
Distribution: Macquarie, Marion, Prince Edward, Kerluegen, Crozet, South Georgia, South Sandwitch

* Genus Pygocelis Pygocelis means "Brush Tailed". The pygocelids are most people's idea of the classic black and white penguin, the star of a thousand cartoons.
* Pygocelis antarctica Common Name: Chinstrap Height: 68cm Weight: 4.5kg
Distribution: South Shetlands, South Orkneys, South Sandwich, Antarctic Peninsuala to 65 degrees

* Pygocelis papua Common Name: Gentoo Height: 71cm Weight: 6kg
Distribution: north Antarctic Peninsuala to 65 degrees S, South Shetlands, South Orkneys, South Sandwich, Macquari, Falklands, Staten Island
There are three sub-species of the gentoo:
* Pygocelis papua papua
* Pygocelis papua elsworthii
* Pygocelis papua taeniata

* Pygocelis adeliae Common Name: Adzlie Height: 71cm Weight: 5kg
Distribution: coastal Antarctica, South Shetlands, South Orkneys, South Sandwich, Antarctic Peninsuala

* Spheniscus humbodlti Common Name: Peruvian, Humbodlt Height: 66cm Weight: 4kg
Distribution: Peruvian and Chilean coastal islands

* Spheniscus magellanicus Common Name: Magellanic Height: 71cm Weight: 5kg
Distribution: southern Chile, Patagonia, Tiera del Fuego, Staten, Falklands

* Genus Eudyptes Eudyptes means "Beautiful Diver". The Eudyptes penguins all have yellow crest feathers.
* Eudyptes chrysolophus Common Name: Macaroni Height: 71cm Weight: 4.5kg
Distribution: Kerguelen, Crozet, Falklands, Marion, Heard, South Georgia, South Shetlands, South Sandwitch, Bouvet

Good Penguin page