15 facts (and pictures!) that prove penguins are the world’s most adorable animals
Every day is a good day to appreciate these tuxedo-wearing birds.
Nearly all penguins live in the southern hemisphere
Contrary to media representations of the North Pole, no penguins live up there. The 17 penguin species (some scientists say there are 20) are spread out between Antarctica, Argentina, Australia, Chile, New Zealand, and South Africa. The only exception is the Galapagos penguins, who live close to the equator on the Galapagos Islands and occasionally venture into northern hemisphere waters.
Penguins have been around for a long time
An amateur fossil hunter discovered the bone of an extinct penguin ancestor, and scientists say it’s 61 million years old. That means it probably outlived the dinosaurs that went extinct 65.5 million years ago. Fossils also suggest that this prehistoric bird could fly and could grow up to 150 centimetres tall.
They eat a lot
Penguins are carnivores, and their diets consist of fish, krill, crabs, squid, and other sea creatures. According to Smithsonian Magazine, they can eat over one kilogram of food every day during summer months, but eat only a third of that during the winter.
They sneeze
Their sneezes serve an important purpose, though. Because they eat so much seafood, penguins also consume a lot of saltwater. To get rid of all that salt, their supraorbital glands above their eyes filter it out of the bloodstream, and then, the penguins excrete it through their bills or their sneezes.
The littlest penguin may be the cutest
Little blue penguins (also called fairy penguins) really are little. They only grow to be 33-38 centimetres tall, and adults only weigh one kilogram.
Emperor penguins are the largest species
They’re around 120 centimetres feet tall and can weigh up to 40 kilograms.
Penguins are expert swimmers
No, these adorable birds can’t fly. Instead, they use their wings to fly through the water (so to speak) at speeds up to 40 kilometres per hour.
They can’t help but waddle
Penguins’ bodies are shaped to easily glide through water, with a long body and short legs. So when they walk, the result is a clumsy-looking waddle. Penguins also get around on land by hopping and tobogganing, where they glide on their bellies and use their feet and wings to gain speed.
They spend most of their time in the water
According to Ocean Conservancy, penguins spend about 75 per cent of their lives in water. They go on land to mate, lay eggs, and raise their babies.
Speaking of penguin babies…
They’re called chicks or nestlings. They form little groups called crèches to look out for predators and keep each other warm while their parents look for food.
Penguins are romantic
Some penguin species mate for life, like the macaroni penguin. These guys and gals show their affection by performing an ‘ecstatic display,’ in which they swing their heads back and forth and cackle loudly.
Birds of a feather mate together
Most penguin species breed in large groups called colonies (only two species don’t) for protection. Those groups can range from a couple hundred to hundreds of thousands of penguins!
Daddy penguins keep their eggs warm
At least, male emperor penguins do, but not by sitting on them. These dads balance the eggs on their feet and cover them with feathered skin called a brood pouch. They stay like this for two months – without food and with no protection from the Antarctica weather – until the mums come back with food for the young ones. Talk about parents of the year!
Their feathers keep them camouflaged
When penguins swim, their black backs keep them invisible from predators up above, and their white bellies blend into the bright sunlight coming through the waves. We bet your tuxedo can’t do that.
Feathers also keep them warm
Penguins don’t have blubber like other sea animals, but their many feathers serve the same purpose. (In particular, emperor penguins have 100 feathers per six square centimetres). The feathers trap a layer of warm air next to their skin, and their surface feathers get colder than the surrounding air to keep their bodies warm.
Written by Claire Nowak. This article first appeared in Reader’s Digest. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, here’s our best subscription offer.
Images: Shutterstock