Waddle, Waddle, Penguins!

 This week is about penguins. Penguins are pretty cool. With their black and white tuxedo-like feathers they look like they are going to a fancy dinner. You can only find them in the southern hemisphere so no penguins at the North Pole. Many live in Antarctica where it can get very, very, cold. 

There are 19 different types of penguins. Some are a meter tall. The smallest is the “little blue” or “fairy” penguin. Some have feathery plumes on the top of their heads. One even looks like it has a chin strap. That’s why they call it the chin-strap penguin. Penguins can’t really fly (unless you count flying underwater) but they are good walkers. Some penguin spend weeks at sea catching fish or krill (small shrimp) and then can walk miles to their breeding ground. 

They don’t make a nest. They balance their one egg on their feet so that the egg won’t touch the frozen snow.  They cover it with a special feathered pouch. When it gets really cold, they huddle together by the thousands to stay warm. 

https://www.calgaryzoo.com/plan-your-visit/animal-zones/penguin-plunge/rockhopper-penguins/

 My favorite penguin is the Rock Hopper. They have cool yellow crests and are really good at hopping up rocky beaches that other penguins can’t climb. 

Penguins have to be careful of predators. Seals, sharks, and orcas all have penguins on the menu. They have to be fast and agile to avoid all of those. 

(Fact Sheet from Fity.club)

Here’s a video of the rock hoppers.

Here is a video of scientists using a Penguin Robot Camera to watch them come ashore! Wow!

Well I hoped you like our penguin talk. 

Love you,

Papaw