Penguins
Most people have a vague sense of what a penguin is. But what really makes a penguin? Let’s find out!
Penguins are a group of flightless seabirds encompassing 18 species, known for their cute appearance and unique adaptations. They vary greatly in size — some small species are around 16 inches tall while some bigger species are around 45 inches tall. Penguins tend to live between 15 and 20 years, though they can live much shorter in the wild and much longer in captivity.
Penguins live in coastline areas and near water. While many penguins live in chilly places like Antarctica, some inhabit more temperate climates. They are mostly found in the Southern Hemisphere. The group that lives the farthest north is the Galapagos penguin, with a habitat right on the equator.
While penguins seem very friendly, they are carnivores, subsisting on a variety of seafood including krill, fish, and crabs. They hunt by swimming in the ocean, using their sharp beaks to snatch prey. Their flippers, webbed feet, waterproof feathers, and shape help them in this endeavor. Penguins usually peak at 15 mph, but by leaping out of the water they can gain a speed boost.
The appearance of penguins also helps them camouflage in the water. Penguins employ “countershading,” meaning their black backs make them blend into the water from above while their white bellies make them blend into the sunlight from below.
On land, penguins adopt bipedal movements. While penguins may seem to be clumsy, they can run and their movements are well adapted. A penguin places most of its weight on one foot at a time so it won’t slip on the ice. There is also some evidence that penguins have adapted to have fewer nerves and arteries near their feet to cope with the cold ground. Penguins can also slide on their bellies like sleds. This helps them travel effectively on icy slopes.
These adaptations are not usable all the time. Soon after the chicks fledge, the adults go through a “catastrophic molt,” meaning they lose all their feathers at the same time. It enables penguins to condense the time they must fast due to not having waterproof feathers to a few weeks.
Penguins rely heavily on each other, living in big groups called colonies. This enables penguins to huddle together for warmth, breed, and share resources.
Penguins also devote lots of time to family. Parents mate for many years and take turns caring for their egg(s) and hunting. At one point during the year, the parents both go out to forage, so baby birds huddle together for safety until their parents can come back. The family members identify each other by the unique frequency of each penguin’s voice.
Penguins are a fascinating example of adaptation. They have made unique evolutionary investments. They also appeal to the human imagination and heart because of how cute they are and how they work together. Unfortunately, while penguins are awesome, they are threatened. Among these threats are overfishing, climate change caused ice loss, and disease spread by tourists. This is especially unfortunate since they are a significant part of several ecosystems. Hopefully, humans will work together so that the penguins can keep doing their penguin thing.
Sources
https://www.vox.com/2015/1/20/7861749/penguins-explained
https://www.britannica.com/animal/penguin/Natural-history
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/group/penguins/
