Everyone loves Penguins.
It’s practically impossible to look at a penguin and feel angry.
Movies like Penguins of Madagascar and Happy Feet have certainly brought the penguin to
the forefront of our imaginations, but what do you really know about this flightless sea
bird?
Let’s look at the adorable tuxedoed sea-fowl the penguin.
Waddling on….
10.
All 17 species of penguins are found exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere.
No, there are no penguins at the North Pole.
But Santa does like to visit.
As far North as any penguins live is the temperate region just South of the equator.
The Galápagos Islands are home to the Galápagos Penguin.
9.
Of the 17 species of penguins, Emperor Penguins
are the tallest species, standing nearly 4 feet tall and weighing between 50 and 100
pounds.
So about the weight of a Labrador or Rottweiler and as tall as most kids.
Emperor Penguins are endemic to Antarctica and can dive over 1,700 feet or a little over
a quarter of a mile deep.
8.
The smallest is the Little Blue Penguin, which is only about 12-13 inches.
It is found on the coastlines of southern Australia and New Zealand and averages about
3.3 pounds, but size varies by subspecies.
In Australia little penguin colonies are scattered around the coastline from near Perth on the
west coast, to Sydney on the east coast, and around Tasmania.
Phillip Island has only one remaining little penguin colony, part of which can be seen
at the Penguin Parade which offers up-close views of little penguins.
Unlike larger species, they can only dive to a depth of 230 feet for approximately 35
seconds, but usually they do it in depths ranging from 59 to 102 ft.
7.
The fastest species is the Gentoo Penguin, which can reach swimming speeds up to 22 mph.
The Gentoo penguin is easily recognized by the wide white stripe extending like a bonnet
across the top of its head and its bright orange-red bill.
Like all penguins, Gentoos are awkward on land.
But they’re pure grace underwater.
They have streamlined bodies and strong, paddle-shaped flippers that propel them up to 22 miles an
hour (36 kilometers an hour), faster than any other diving bird.
6.
The Penguins’ striking coloring is a matter of camouflage.
From above, their black backs blend into the murkiness of the ocean.
From below the water, their white bellies are hidden against the bright surface.
This type of camouflage is called countershading and is seen in many sea species, including
many sharks and fish.
For most species, adult penguins have few large predators on land.
But in the water, penguin foes range from seals to whales to even Great White Sharks.
5.
Penguins ingest a lot of seawater while hunting for fish, but a special gland behind their
eyes — the supraorbital gland — filters out the saltwater from their bloodstream.
Penguins excrete the excess salt through their beaks, or by sneezing.
4.
It varies by species, but many penguins will pair with the same mate season after season.
Similarly, most are also loyal to their exact nesting spot, returning to the same rookery
in which they hatched.
All but two species of penguins breed in large colonies of up to a thousand birds.
3.
Some species create nests for their eggs out of pebbles and loose feathers.
Emperor Penguins and King Penguins are exceptions.
They incubate a single egg each breeding season on the top of their feet.
Under a loose fold of skin is a featherless area with a concentration of blood vessels
that keeps the egg warm.
2.
Despite their lack of visible ears, penguins have excellent hearing and rely on distinct
calls to identify their mates when returning to the crowded breeding grounds.
The first published account of penguins comes from Antonio Pigafetta, who was aboard Ferdinand
Magellan’s first circumnavigation of the earth, in 1520, when the animals were caught
near what was probably Punta Tombo in Argentina.
He called them “geese.”
Well, that’s all we have for today.
Time to take flight… wait, no… [just keep swimming] … You made it this far, so you’ll
likely enjoy these videos.
IF you’re a subscriber, thank you.
If not, what are you waiting for?
Me to throw you a fish or something?
And as always catch ya next time.