Why don't penguins live in the Arctic?

Answer 1

There are two main reasons why there are no penguins in the Arctic.

Firstly, the Arctic is mainly ocean covered with sea ice. While penguins do not live on the continental landmass of Antarctica itself, they do live along the coastline and the ice shelves. This is where many species of penguin breed, and the Arctic lacks this type of landscape. In addition, more than half of the penguin species do not live in the Antarctic, instead occupying more temperate regions such as New Zealand and southern Australia, where they breed behind the coastal dunes. This leads to the next reason why there are no penguins in the Arctic.

The Arctic has more predators than the Antarctic. No land mammals live at the Antarctic, but numerous carnivorous species live within the Arctic Circle. Polar bears would soon make short work of penguin colonies, while Arctic foxes would decimate the chicks. As it is, where species such as the Little Penguin breed on southern Australian shores, the nests are certainly at risk of being raided by predatorial, introduced species such as dogs, foxes and feral cats. Prior to European settlement, these carnivores did not exist in Australia and New Zealand, and penguin colonies thrived.

Answer 2

Penguins don't live in the Arctic because they are adapted to a cold environment with sea ice like in the Antarctic. The Arctic, by contrast, has a different ecosystem with different species of animals that penguins wouldn't compete well with.