Facts about Penguins

Here are some interesting facts about the beautiful species:

·       The largest living species is the Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri). On average adults are about 1.1 m tall and weigh 35 kg or more. The male Emperor Penguin stays at home looking after the egg whilst the female hunts for food. They are exceptionally insulated with various layers of scale-like feathers. They are fantastic divers and forage at depths from 150 to 250 metres and last about 5 minutes.

Emperor Penguin (Source: Wikipedia).

·       The smallest penguin species is the Little Blue Penguin (Eudyptula minor) which stands around 40 cm tall and weighs 1 kg.

A Little Blue Penguin (Source: Wikipedia).

·       Interestingly, Royal and macaroni penguins lay two eggs because the first is too small and, therefore, discarded.

·       Penguins are extremely social animals

·       They breed in large colonies for protection purposes (there’s safety in numbers) and can range from 200 to hundreds of thousands.

A large colony of King Penguins (Source: Wikipedia).

·       Nesting sites vary between species, and can include sea ice, rock, and beaches.

·       Penguins have adapted to help reduce heat loss through the feet and prevent the feet from freezing when they are standing on ice.

·       Penguins moult once a year to replace worn feathers so as to keep their plumage looking good and moult all their feathers at the same time.

·       Most penguins are monogamous and have distinct calls, enabling them to locate their mates in large groups.

·       The black and white parts of the body are there for camouflage when they swim. From above, their black backs blend into the dark ocean water and, from below, their white bellies match the bright surface lit by sunlight, helping to avoid detection by predators and hunt for fish unseen.

·       Penguins are able to drink salt water because they have special gland which can filter salt from the blood stream.

·       Penguins do not have teeth, but have a tongue that is covered with backward-facing fleshy spines, helping them to snap the slippery fish.

·       They’re extremely powerful swimmers with streamlined bodies and flipper enable them to travel with great speed underwater to catch fish, squid and crustaceans, including krill.

Source: Wikipedia

·      Negative impacts of human beings and their activities include overfishing, coastal development, 
     and the impacts of climate change have a negative impact on the overall penguin populations.

      So now that you know more about these stunning species, please show your support this World Penguin Day! I know the penguins will greatly appreciate it and they will even do their happy feet dance in return!

(Source: Happy Feet Movie)