Melanie Day
January 20th
January 20th plays host to many great “holidays“. One notable one? National Penguin Day. I find penguins adorable, they just seem to have such a fun personality and how can you not love an animal that waddles? But how much do you know about this arctic bird? Read on to learn 1o facts about penguins!
There are 18 different species of Penguins. This includes: -Emperor -King -Royal -Adelie -Macaroni -Gentoo Galapagos -Magellanic -Humboldt -African -Snares -Fiordland -Little Blue -Yellow Eye -Erect Crested -Northern Rockhopper -Southern Rockhopper -Chinstrap
Diets can vary based on the species are where the live but most penguins eat krill, squids, and fish.
Most people know penguins live in Antarctica. But that's not the only place you'll find them. They also live in the Antarctic islands, the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Peru and Chile.
Penguins are a flightless bird however they evolved over time to their surroundings. As a result they "fly" aka swim underwater.
Many male penguins gift female penguins with rocks in order to impress them.
A group of penguins in the water is called a raft but on land they're called a waddle
The black and white is another benefit of evolution. Each color serves as camouflage for the animal. The black on their back is hard to see from above, while the white on their front looks like the sun reflecting off the surface of the water when seen from below.
DId you know that Penguins in Antarctica have no land based predators?
Penguins have a gland near the base of its tail that provides waterproof oil. This oil helps coat their feathers and keep them warm. Penguins spend several hours a day spreading this oil especially before swimming to stay warm.
Penguins can live between 6-20 years.
