Preserve Our Penguins
PENGUINS
Class : Aves
Order: Sphenisciformes
Family: Spheniscidae
The name Pen derived from welsh terms “Pen” meaning head and “Gwyn”meaning white. Penguins are highly specialized flightless marine birds. These birds are highly adapted to living at sea.They live in cold water which is rich in nutrients. They can swim and lay eggs.They are moving in large groups.
They live in southern hemisphere.Some are living in Antartica,Southern Australia and South Africa.
Body Features
The body is fully tightly covered with black and white plumage. So it enable them to keep their body in condition. Their wings are reduced into flippers (paddle like used for swimming. Their feet are webbed. Penguins have glands in the bill that help to rid the excess body salt.
Their clumsiness is really looks beautiful. They can walk as fast as a human being.
Swimming and Feeding
Penguins can swim more than 15 miles per hour. A penguins can hold its breach up to six minutes under water. They feed on sea fishes and other small creatures living in sea. They are spending their life in land and ocean.
Seals and Dolphins are the predators of penguins.They will struggle inside sea for the food.
Vocalization among the partners
Penguins vocalizations are individually identifiable. This help to identify their partners and their chicks. They shows many vocal and visual displays to communicate each other.
Types of Penguins ; There are more than 17 species as follows:
1. Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae)
2. African penguins (Spheniscus demersus)
3. Chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarctica)
4. Emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri)
5. Erect-crested penguins (Eudyptes sclateri)
6. Fiordland penguins (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus)
7. Galapagos penguins (Spheniscus mendiculus)
8. Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua)
9. Humboldt penguins (Spheniscus humboldti)
10. King penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus )
11. Little (Blue) penguins (Eudyptula minor)
12. Macaroni penguins (Eudyptes chrysolophus)
13. Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus)
14. Rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome)
15. Royal penguins (Eudyptes schlegeli)
16. Snares penguins (Eudyptes robustus)
17. Yellow-eyed penguins (Megadyptes antipodes)
- Emperor Penguins : Emperor penguins are the larges living species. Its average body weight is 35kg and more. They are about 1.1 meter in tall.
- Little Blue Penguin or Fairy Penguin : They are the smallest species of penguins. They are forty centimeter in tall and weights 1 kg.
- Crested Penguin : Main Crested penguins have larger bills and most beautiful. But in other species male and female looks alike.
Amazing Egg Hatching by the father Penguin
The female penguin lays one egg 460 – 470 gm in May and June. It is pear shaped and pale greenish white and 12x8cm in size. The eggs shell of emperor penguin is very thick compared to other species of penguins. It reduces the chance of risk of breakage. After laying eggs the female transfers the egg to the male bird. The emperor is the one who keeps the egg warm and safe for two months by keeping the egg on its brood pouch of its feet until it hatches and then take care of the chicks until the mother comes from hunting. If the chick hatches before hatches before the mothers return the father feeds it’s a curd like substance composed of 59% protein and 28% lipid that is produced from a gland of its esophagus . After the arrival of the mother penguin it is the turn of the father penguin to hunt.
Really Wonderful : Penguin and its Telepathy
Penguins have a way of speaking to us somehow thru their eyes hearts and minds. This peculiar nature of penguin is known as telepathy and so people like them very much. Everyone prefer penguin as a favorite aquatic bird.
PENGUIN IN THE MARKET
Penguin pendants, Penguin Books,Penguin Eggs, Penguin Games and Toys are the attractive products in the modern market. People are very fond of getting books published by Penguin books.
Recent Reports
Reasons studies shows that they are developed into one of the very intelligent creatures of the world. They can be trained by using operant-conditioning same like Dolphin’s training. They are known for their fearless and friendly social behavior.
It can be watched that Penguins are chosen as an icon for water parks and other products because of its friendliness and social behavior.
