Adopt A Penguin

Adorable penguins. Captivating, inquisitive - and incredibly vulnerable to threats like climate change.

Your adoption will help protect penguins in the Antarctic and help fund our vital work around the world. When you choose an animal adoption, you are supporting both your chosen animals as well as wider work to help bring our world back to life.

Antarctic Advocacy: Ensuring Better Penguin Protection

Penguin adopters have supported long-term research on the Adélie penguins being carried out by researchers at the Dumont d’Urville station in Antarctica. Adélie penguins build their nests on rocky outcrops, but melting ice can flood the nests, being catastrophic for their breeding success. Scientists use GPS tags to understand penguin foraging behaviour at sea, and monitor breeding performances to gather data to contribute to the development of an MPA proposal in the East Antarctic Region.

Researchers, supported by penguin adopters, have been able to use findings from their research to advocate for better protection of penguins in the Southern Ocean. In 2023, with support from WWF, they attended a climate conference in Paris to advocate for more Marine Protected Areas in Antarctica, which is crucial for the long-term survival of penguins. It is only through the kind support of our adopters that WWF’s work can continue to protect such an iconic species and their wider ecosystem.

Adopt a penguin and receive

Cuddly Toy

An exclusive WWF soft toy to remind you of the good you’re doing.
Toy may vary from image shown.

Welcome Pack

Packed with plenty of details about the difference our amazing adopters make.

Regular Updates

Updates including three heart-warming penguin stories a year with lots of lovely pictures.

Extra Goodies

A personalised adoption certificate and stylish virtual background.

Emperor penguins are the largest living penguin and breed the furthest south of any penguin species. Breeding colonies are found around the coast of the entire Antarctic continent. Emperor penguins may be the only bird never to set foot on land as their colonies are on the sea ice and they even breed on frozen sea. To keep warm, up to 5,000 adults and chicks can huddle together, shuffling round so each gets a turn on the outside.

Map graphic detailing penguins' habitat range

Threats that penguins face

Sea ice loss

Climate change is reducing the amount of sea ice in parts of the Antarctic Peninsula. One of the penguins main food sources - krill - breeds and feeds under the sea ice.

More snow

Adélie penguins only nest on bare, dry land and increased snowfall during late winter and early spring may cause chicks to hatch later. There's less krill around at this time of year, which can affect the chicks’ chances of survival.

Loss of prey

Overfishing of krill in parts of the Southern Ocean may also impact one of the penguins main food sources.

Gentoo penguins

Penguins may also lose ground to gentoo penguins, which are better adapted to warming Antarctic environments.

How We Can Help

We work with governments, industries and individuals to help reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. We encourage them to switch to renewable energy – to help minimise climate change and the warming that threatens penguins, their food sources and their habitat.

We’re also involved in helping improve the way Antarctica is managed through the Antarctic Treaty and the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). They ensure that fisheries are sustainable and aim to eliminate illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing.

Your adoption and support will help us:

improve the management of Antarctica’s resources and safeguard its wildlife
establish a network of marine protected areas covering at least 10% of the 20 million km² Southern Ocean
reduce illegal and unsustainable fishing practices
raise awareness of the threats of climate change we all face
fund our other essential work around the world

Adelie penguins with chicks at nesting site

Adélie penguins build nests out of pebbles. They choose a sloping site so water runs away from the nest.

Last minute gift?

Letter thanking supporter for adopting a penguin with WWF

Adopt a penguin as a last minute gift! You can print or email a personalised gift certificate online to give on the day.

Free delivery

We offer free delivery but ask you to consider helping to cover postage with an optional £3 donation taken at checkout. This means more of your gift can go towards supporting your adoption animal and our wider work.

Your pack will be sent within 2-3 working days - but allow up to 5 working days for it to arrive.

The below estimate is for the number of Adélie Penguins in the wild. Penguin adoptions support both Adélie and Emperor penguins.

Want to protect other marine animals too? Check out our adopt a marine animal page to find out more.

Penguin adoption FAQs

Can you adopt a penguin?

Yes, you can adopt a penguin with WWF. Donations from penguin adoptions go both directly to support penguins, as well as to fund our wider work to protect nature and our planet. Adoptions are symbolic for donating and supporting our conservation work with different species. By adopting a penguin, you will be supporting a whole group of penguins, rather than one individual.

How do I adopt a penguin?

You can adopt a penguin with WWF from just £5 a month via Direct Debit, or you can pay with a one-off payment. To adopt a penguin with WWF, select your donation amount on the widget, click 'Adopt Now' and then complete your donation via our secure online checkout.

How much does it cost to adopt a penguin?

You can adopt a penguin with WWF from just £5 a month via Direct Debit, or you can pay with a one-off payment. Your money goes further by Direct Debit as this supports our long-term planning and helps keep our administration costs down.

What happens when you adopt a penguin?

When you adopt a penguin with WWF, your donation will not only fund programs of work that directly support penguins, but also other vital projects to help bring our world back to life. After adopting a penguin you'll receive a welcome pack including an optional toy and note from the WWF team welcoming you on board. We'll keep you updated on how you're supporting our vital work by sending you three adoption updates a year.

How does WWF help penguins?

Penguin adoptions help us; work with fisheries to ensure sustainable fishing practices are upheld; raise awareness of the threats of climate change affecting penguins; improve management of Antarctica's resources to safeguard wildlife.

Are penguins endangered?

Adélie penguins are classified as of the least concern, however in parts of their habitats where climate change is established their populations have shrunk by as much as 65% in 25 years. Emperor penguins are classified as near threatened - and populations have declined by as much as 50%. The biggest threat to both of these species is climate change.

Why are penguins threatened?

Penguins are at risk due to the loss of sea ice caused by climate change, reducing their natural habitat. Overfishing of krill, their primary source food, further threatens their survival.

How many penguins are left in the world?

There are 10,000,000 Adélie penguins left in the wild, however their population has shrunk by 65% in the past 25 years. Emperor penguins have declined by 50%.

Gorilla

1,063

Left in the wild

Adopt A Penguin

Antarctic Advocacy: Ensuring Better Penguin Protection

Adopt a penguin and receive

Cuddly Toy

Welcome Pack

Regular Updates

Extra Goodies

Threats that penguins face

Sea ice loss

More snow

Loss of prey

Gentoo penguins

How We Can Help

Last minute gift?

Free delivery

Penguin adoption FAQs

Adoption Slider

Most Endangered

Gorilla

1,063

Giant Panda

1,860

Tiger

4,500

Snow Leopard

4,000

Rhino

26,261

Least Popular

Jaguar

173,000

Polar Bear

26,000

Orangutan

119,500

Rhino

26,261

Gorilla

1,063

Most Popular

Tiger

4,500

Giant Panda

1,860

Elephant

464,000

Adélie penguin

10,000,000

Snow Leopard

4,000

All Adoptions

Tiger

Giant Panda

Elephant

Adélie penguin

Snow Leopard

Turtle

Gorilla

Rhino

Orangutan

Polar Bear

Jaguar