Penguins

Information about Penguins:

Penguins are flightless, aquatic birds native to the Southern Hemisphere, mostly in and around Antarctica. They are adapted for life spent in the water, where they are graceful and quick swimmers. On land they are somewhat less so, but are able to traverse difficult rocky terrain, or long distances over frozen wastelands to reach breeding grounds.

While penguins are often thought to only live in cold climates, most species live far enough from the South Pole so their environment is temperate and is not nearly as cold and harsh as the conditions further south. If fact one species – the Galapagos Penguin – doesn’t live that far from the equator. Major populations of penguins are found in Antarctica, Australia, New Zealand, South America, and South Africa. The largest species of penguin is the Emperor, standing an impressive of about 3.5 feet (1 meter) tall and weighing 75 pounds or more (35 kg.) There are thought to be between 17-20 extant (living) species of penguin on earth.

There have been some impressive species that have gone extinct, including some that stood as tall as 6 feet. Penguins are “Counter-shaded” with black backs and white bellies. This is used for camouflage, so they blend in when swimming when seen from above and below. Penguins feed mostly on krill and fish. Unlike many animals, penguins are able to drink sea water due to a specialized gland filter. The salt is filtered out and excreted through the nasal passages.