[♪ INTRO]
Whatcha watching, Squeaks? What’s so funny?
Oh, penguins! They can be really funny. But they're also really interesting animals!
Penguins are birds, but they stand upright,
instead of bent forward like a duck or a chicken.
And penguins are birds that can’t fly.
I know! That’s weird! Instead of flying, penguins’ bodies
are perfectly built for swimming and diving.
And for keeping warm in the cold ocean.
And lots of penguins need to keep from freezing when they’re out of the water, too.
When we think of penguins, we usually picture Antarctica,
the icy continent all the way on the bottom of the Earth.
Antarctica has more penguins than anywhere else in the world.
Like these Adélie penguins.
Scientists found a group of these penguins living on islands
so hard to reach they’re actually called the Danger Islands!
In fact, no one ever found these penguins
until they used satellites to look down at them from space!
Or these Emperor penguins.
These penguins can grow well over a meter tall, and weigh over 40 kilograms.
That is bigger than you!
Oh, how about these handsome macaroni penguins?
Say, Squeaks, we said that penguins live in Antarctica, where it’s super cold.
But they don’t wear scarves or mittens to keep warm like we do.
Do you notice any special structures, or body parts,
that might help them survive the cold?
Penguins are snappy dressers.
They look like they’re wearing tuxedos, getting ready for a very fancy party!
But that’s not all. What else have you noticed?
Oh that’s right! They waddle!
We were talking before about how silly penguins look when they walk on land.
It’s fun to try walking like a penguin! They look kind of like people, but sillier!
Sometimes penguins who live in the ice and snow will
slide across the snow on their bellies, which is called tobogganing!
They use their flippers and feet to steer and push themselves along.
We need a toboggan to slide along in the snow,
but a penguin can just use its belly!
They do look like they’re having a good time!
And they’re already dressed for a night on the town.
Penguins may look silly walking on land, but in the water,
where they catch their food, they're superstars!
There’s one thing all penguins have in common:
they’re all talented swimmers and divers.
And they all depend on swimming in the cold ocean to find their food.
Check these out, on the side of the penguin.
What do you think these are, Squeaks? ~
They’re not wings… they’re not hands… Instead of those, penguins have flippers!
Flippers are a great example of a structure,
or body part, that helps penguins move around.
They’re flat, to help penguins push themselves through the water.
Penguins use their flippers like the paddles of a boat,
moving them up and down, like they’re flying underwater!
And they’re covered in short feathers,
which help penguins move through the water fast.
Even though these birds can’t fly in the sky,
penguins are amazing at flying through the water because of the structures
on their bodies that help them take deep dives and long swims!
For example, penguins have heavy bones
to help them sink in the water and dive deeper.
They also have special structures under their eyes
that help their bodies get rid of salt, so they can drink salty sea water.
And let’s look at the overall shape of a penguin’s body.
Do you see how, with their feet and flippers tucked in,
the penguin’s body actually looks very smooth?
When they’re swimming, penguins bring their head and feet close to their body,
to help them steer through the water.
A penguin’s body is just the right shape to slice through the ocean really fast!
When they’re swimming very fast, sometimes penguins will “porpoise”,
or leap out of the water, like dolphins or porpoises.
And they don’t do it by accident, Squeaks. Penguins do it on porpoise.
These rock star swimmers spend about half their time on land
and half their time in the ocean, swimming around and finding food.
Penguins can dive hundreds of meters deep to search for food,
swim thousands of kilometers to return to their nesting colonies,
and hold their breath underwater for a long time.
And did you know that penguins’ mouths are specially built
to help them catch their food while they’re swimming underwater?
Check this out, Squeaks. It’s a little wacky,
but this is the inside of a penguin’s mouth!
It's ok, Squeaks! I promise they won’t bite. Well… not exactly.
The penguin’s mouth is that way for a reason. Can you guess what it is?
You're right, it’s to help the penguin eat!
Penguins eat slippery things like fish and squid.
Penguins’ mouths are lined with tiny spines.
Those spines help them grab onto their slippery food,
so they can catch their lunch on the go and keep moving!
Oh yes, even their dapper-looking feathers help a penguin be a penguin!
Their thick coat of feathers are perfectly made to
keep them warm and dry in the cold ocean by keeping heat inside their bodies.
Plus, their feathers push water away,
so that when penguins get out of the water, they dry right off!
And the colors of their feathers are perfect, too!
Did you notice how many penguins seem to be black and white?
Yeah. Specifically, penguins have black bodies and white bellies.
When penguins are swimming, animals above them have a hard time
seeing their dark backs against the ocean depths below them.
And from below, their white bellies blend in with the sunlight, hich makes them
harder for the fish they’re hunting down below to see them coming!
AH! Yes, just like that, Squeaks!
You're right, penguins sure are impressive!
They may be cute, but they’re tough enough to
survive some pretty challenging situations.
Like the freezing cold in Antarctica, and cold ocean waters,
and catching slippery fish!
And though they don't fly through the air,
they fly all across the ocean in their snazzy feather suits!
Do you want to look up some more kinds of penguins with me?
Wait until I tell you about how emperor penguins survive the winter…
Which was your favorite way penguins survive in the cold Antarctic?
If you were an Antarctic animal, what special body parts would help you survive?
Thanks for watching, and if you want to keep learning with me, Squeaks,
and all of our other friends, be sure to subscribe
and we’ll see you next time here at the Fort.
[♪ OUTRO]