Enclosure of humboldt penguins. The coast of the Antarctic islands. Relief and reservoir are artificial.

Penguins are represented in the Moscow zoo by humboldt penguins (Spheniscus humboldti) (SPHENISCIDAE). Usually people think that penguins are the inhabitants of Antarctic, however not all penguins occupy only this continent. Humboldt penguins live much to the north, on western coast and neighboring islands of Peru and Northern Chile. Penguins are well designed for swimming: they have the streamline shape of a body, small close-fitting and water-repellent pens, strong webbed paws; their wings resemble the flippers of sea lions. The considerable proportion of their life penguins spend in water where they look for the food. If it is necessary penguin can jump out of water at a height of 2 m.

In "House of birds " in the Moscow zoo one can see penguins not only from above, but also from under the water from a special underground corridor. These birds are clumsy on land but very graceful under water.