Product Description
Our Plastic Rockhopper Penguin Replica Our rockhopper penguin toy animal is made of solid plastic and measures 2 inches tall. Its name is molded into the underside. This plastic animal toy is great for school projects, toys, novelties, animal collections, party favors and more. Our plastic bird is for decoration or play only. You can make an outstanding penguin species shoebox diorama using this and other plastic creatures from our gift shop. Best of all, there is no mess, no feeding, and no tank or cage cleaning :) Check out our terrific selection of penguin toys and gifts.
Rockhopper penguins are is the rockstars of penguins with their messy bright colored spiky head feathers, bright red eyes and beaks. Rockhopper Penguin with ChickPhoto by Neil Turner This spritely-looking bird is one of the smallest of the penguin species. They only grow to approximately 20-24 inches in height. This penguin is usually found in the areas around Chile to New Zealand. Rockhopper penguins are birds of habit. They return each year to the same location to breed with the same mate as they had before. Penguin experts currently disagree on the classification of the rockhopper penguin. Some believe that there are three distinct and separate species, each with subspecies: the southern rockhopper penguin, Eudyptes chrysocome, the eastern rockhopper penguin, Eudyptes filholi, and the northern rockhopper penguin, Eudyptes moseleyi. Some believe that there are two species: the southern rockhopper penguin and the northern rockhopper penguin, with the eastern rockhopper being a subspecies of the southern rockhopper, just as the western rockhopper penguin and the American southern rockhopper penguin are both considered subspecies of the southern rockhopper penguin. Still others believe there is only one classification, the rockhopper penguin. One of the distinctions is where the birds breed. The western rockhopper penguin, also known as the American southern rockhopper lays its eggs in the southern area of South America. Eastern rockhopper penguins also known as Indopacific southern rockhopper penguins lay their eggs on sub-Antarctic islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Though their numbers are declining rapidly, the eastern and western rockhopper penguins are currently not on the endangered list, considered to be only at the Vulnerable level at this time. However if the problems plaguing this species continue, it is most likely that they will be upgraded to Endangered soon, joining the northern rockhopper penguin. Rockhopper penguin article by Dawn Baca
