Did you know that penguins can get divorced and they can’t taste their food?
Hi, I’m Nate from polarguidebook.com, and in this video, we’ll share 12 penguin facts
that are sure to keep you igloo-ed to the screen.
Let’s get started.
Our first penguin fact is that There Are 18 Different Types of Penguins.
Although King and Emperor Penguins are the most recognizable, there are actually 18 different
species of penguins.
The smallest is the Little Penguin at just 40cm tall, whilst the largest is the Emperor
Penguin which is three times the height at 115cm, and more than thirty times as heavy.
Fact Number 2.
Not All Penguins Live in Cold Places.
Penguins live all across the southern hemisphere including Antarctica, sub-Antarctic islands,
South America, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
The most northerly penguins are a small colony of Galapagos Penguins which live in the Galapagos
Islands just off the coast of Ecuador.
Fact Number 3.
They Are Black and White for Camouflage.
Penguins might look like they are wearing tuxedos, but their black and white color is
to keep them hidden from predators whilst swimming in the ocean.
It’s a technique called countershading.
When seen from below, their white front blends in with the light coming from the surface
waters above.
But, when seen from above, their black back also blends in with the darkness from the
deeper waters below.
Some species also have golden-yellow feathers on the crest of their head or their neck or
orange feathers on their chest.
This makes them more desirable to potential mates.
When baby penguins are first born, they have different colored feathers to their parents.
This is because they cannot swim in the ocean at such a young age or they’ll risk hyperthermia,
so they do not require camouflage like their parents.
Fact Number 4.
Penguins Are Carnivores, But They Can’t Taste Meat.
The diet of a penguin will vary between species and location, but it typically includes fish,
squid, and small crustaceans such as krill.
However, scientists discovered that penguins only have 2 out of 5 taste receptors compared
to us humans.
These are sour and salty.
This means that penguins are unable to taste sweet, bitter, or umami flavors which is unusual
for a carnivore since umami is what gives meat its meaty taste.
But since they swallow their food whole, this is no problem for the penguin.
Although they eat their food at sea, they can also store some in their stomach where
it will be ‘refrigerated’ at body temperature.
They can then regurgitate this for their chicks back at the nest.
Fact Number 5.
Penguins Can Drink Salt Water Thanks To a Special Gland.
Penguins have a salt gland near their eye which removes salt from their blood.
The salt is then excreted through the nostrils on their beak by sneezing or shaking their
heads.
This allows penguins to drink salt water and eat prey that is high in salt such as marine
invertebrates.
Fact Number 6 . Penguins Originated in Australia and New Zealand.
Although we might mostly associate penguins with Antarctica, they originated in Australia
and New Zealand around 22 million years ago3.
Since then, many subgroups have diverged from the original penguin as shown here.
Initially, the Aptenodytes group migrated to Antarctica and now includes King and Emperor
Penguins.
This was followed by more sub-groups once the Drake Passage opened up and they were
able to move further across the ocean.
Fact Number 7.
They Take Lots of 10-Minute Naps Throughout the Night and Day.
Penguins are polyphasic.
Instead of taking one big block of sleep like humans, they take many smaller naps throughout
the day and night.
These naps will typically be less than 10 minutes and reduces the risk of predators
sneaking up on them.
They can sleep on land, standing up with their beak tucked behind one of their flippers,
or in the water where they will float near the top using their fat to stay buoyant.
The Humboldt Penguin can sleep with one eye open too.
This is known as unilateral eye closure and involves resting only half of their brain
at one time.
Fact Number 8.
Emperor Penguins Huddle Together for Warmth.
Emperor Penguins breed in Antarctica during the cold winter so keeping themselves and
the eggs warm can be a challenge.
To achieve this, they form a large huddle which can be as large as 5,000 birds.
They can be crammed in at 10-12 penguins per square meter.
This helps maintain a temperature as warm as 30°C in the center7, compared to -40°C
outside.
Cold penguins will push their way towards the center where the warmer penguins will
move out to make room for them.
Working together retains heat and reduces the amount of energy they consume whilst incubating
the eggs as they cannot eat during this period.
Fact Number 9.
Penguins Aren’t Loyal to Their Partners and They Can Get Divorced.
Penguins are monogamous which means they have one partner per breeding season.
However, they do not mate for life and some even engage in extrapair copulation, which
is the scientific way of saying they cheat on their partner.
When penguins choose a different partner for the next breeding cycle, despite their previous
partner being alive and present, this is known as a penguin divorce.
However, not all penguins take this lightly and it can result in fighting between the
females.
The original mate usually wins her guy back.
Fact Number 10.
Penguins Can Dive As Deep As 500m.
Penguins spend up to 75% of their lives in the sea and often don’t visit land for months
on end.
This is why they are excellent swimmers and divers.
They have streamlined bodies, flippers which they use like propellers, and webbed feet.
Emperor Penguins are the deepest divers.
They regularly dive to around 300m and can hold their breath for 7 minutes.
Fact Number 11.
It’s Illegal to Hunt or Kill Penguins.
Penguins are well protected from hunting with many international and domestic laws.
This includes the Antarctic Treaty which was created in 1959 and has now been signed by
54 countries.
The environmental part of the treaty also ensures protection for all species south of
60°S, including penguins.
Fact Number 12.
Some Penguins Are Endangered.
There are 30-31 million penguins in the world according to the latest estimates
Although they are not at risk of extinction, 5 out of 18 species are classified as endangered
by the IUCN.
These are Yellow-eyed Penguins, Galapagos Penguins, Erect-crested Penguins, African
Penguins, and Northern Rockhopper Penguins.
A further 7 are vulnerable or near-threatened and the remaining are least concern.
The reasons for endangerment vary among the species but can be summarized as climate change,
poaching, industrial fishing practices, oil spills, and disease.
Why not check out one of our other videos for more fun facts about penguins and the
other animals that inhabit the polar regions.
Thanks for watching.