In the "Penguin Ecology" tank, there's a place where you can descend a staircase and observe the penguins from underwater. Take a look at the bellies of Humboldt Penguin floating on the surface and how they swim around using their wings (flippers). On land, they look rather stocky, but when they adopt a swimming posture, you'll see that their bodies are streamlined, making them well-suited to moving through the water.

The "Penguin Ecology" tank features a large area of rugged rocks on land. This recreates the habitat of Humboldt Penguin. In their actual habitat, there is a soft layer of soil called "guano," which is made up of accumulated droppings from Humboldt Penguin and other seabirds. During the breeding season, they dig holes in this guano to build their nests. Because guano is an excellent fertilizer, humans have been mining it extensively, which has historically led to a reduction in their breeding grounds.

The body coloration, which is dark on the back and light on the belly, is called countershading, and is thought to make it difficult for predators approaching from above or below to spot the creature. This pattern is common to many marine creatures, so try looking for it in other animals as well. In penguins, some studies suggest that this black and white pattern has the effect of confusing schools of fish that serve as their prey.