What can you learn about penguins?

Facts to Learn about Penguins All penguins have blackish backs and white bellies, and are flightless birds who are excellent swimmers. Penguins feed underwater on krill and other creatures, and their predators are orcas, sharks, sea lions, and fur and leopard seals. Groups of penguins are called rookeries.

Why is learning about penguins important?

By studying penguins as a keystone species, we can gauge the health of their predators, their prey, and the entire ocean. Different species of penguins each face their own threats in their geograpically specific ranges.

What does a penguin eat?

Penguins eat krill (a shrimp-like crustacean in the family Euphausiidae), squids, and fishes. Various species of penguins have slightly different food preferences, which reduce competition among species. (See Appendix for information on diet for each species.)

Are penguins smart?

Penguins are known for looking sharp. They have long been adored for their waddling gate and striking black and white attire that gives them the appearance of a flock of dinner jackets.

What would happen if there were no penguins?

Michele Pagel, aquarium curator of birds and mammals, said if the South African penguin population continues to decline as it has since the first survey was conducted in 1930, they will disappear. “Their lives are connected to the ocean,” she said.

Can penguins fly?

No, technically penguins cannot fly. Penguins are birds, so they do have wings. However, the wing structures of penguins are evolved for swimming, rather than flying in the traditional sense. Penguins swim underwater at speeds of up to 15 to 25 miles per hour .

What do you know about penguins?

Learning various facts is a great way to expand your knowledge. It can also fuel your interest to learn more about specific species of penguins or certain aspects of their lives. 1. Penguins are birds Penguins are birds highly adapted to the aquatic life.

Where do penguins live in the world?

Penguins live only in the Southern Hemisphereof the world: Antarctica, New Zealand, southern Australia, South Africaand South America. The furthest north they get is the Galapagos Islands, where the cold Humboldt Currentflows past. Contents

How do penguins travel long distances?

Polar penguins can travel long distances quickly by “ tobogganing ,” or sliding across the ice on their bellies and pushing forward with their feet. If it’s especially cold, they huddle together in large colonies that protect them from predators and provide warmth.

What can we learn from two Antarctic penguin genomes?

“Two Antarctic penguin genomes reveal insights into their evolutionary history and molecular changes related to the Antarctic environment”. GigaScience. 3 (#1): 27. doi: 10.1186/2047-217X-3-27.