Which penguin species is the fastest swimmer?

The gentoo penguin is the fastest swimming penguin species, reaching about 36 kilometres per hour.

Gentoos use their streamlined bodies, powerful flippers and webbed feet to pursue fish, squid and crustaceans underwater. Their speed helps them escape predators and travel between breeding colonies and feeding grounds.

Gentoo penguins are recognisable by a white stripe above each eye that joins across the top of the head. They are found mainly on the Antarctic Peninsula and sub-Antarctic islands, including the Falkland Islands and South Georgia.

People sometimes assume the largest penguins must also be the fastest. In fact, the gentoo is smaller than the emperor and king penguins but has a reputation for exceptional underwater speed. Penguins cannot fly through the air, yet their swimming motion gives them remarkable control and acceleration below the surface.