On the territory of Antarctica, amazing flightless birds - penguins found their refuge. It is interesting that initially they knew how to fly, but during the evolution they lost this ability. Now they know how to dive perfectly and feel very good in the water.
These animals include 18 species, and they have one thing in common - they all swim and dive beautifully. The most famous of the species - the emperor penguin - is the largest and oldest bird of all representatives. The penguin is very sociable and social, forms a flock when hunting and nesting.
Of course, such an animal as a penguin is of interest to many - I want to learn a lot about the bird. Let's do it now! We suggest you familiarize yourself with the ten most interesting facts about penguins.
10. Orcas - one of the main enemies
Representatives of the animal world always have enemies, penguins are no exception. These charming birds actually have many enemies: seagulls that can destroy their eggs and newborn chicks, fur seals and leopards, but killer whales pose the greatest danger to them.
Typically, killer whales hunt large penguins, but it happens that they are not averse to feasting on adels. Some killer whales lie in wait for penguins on land, while others hunt them in the water. There is even such an interesting concept "penguin effect", Meaning fear of the water element.
9. Keep the existing couples for life
When it comes to monogamy, there is always debate. Someone claims that monogamy in the animal kingdom is nothing more than fiction, it is unnatural, but animals show by their own example that it is possible.
If we talk about penguins, then they form pairs for very long years. Scientists even conducted research, observed birds for 30 years using satellite tracking systems. It turned out that the Magellanic penguins remained loyal to each other for many years, even despite the fact that during the winter trips they had to part.
8. Great fishermen
Many novice fishermen should learn penguin agility! These birds eat a lot, their diet includes: squid, crabs, krill, of course, fish, and other sea creatures. Every day they absorb up to 1 kg. food (but this is during the summer months), and a third of the indicated volume in winter.
Penguins can get their own food, and they do it perfectly - diving into the water (and in the water element they are incomparable!) They catch fish, as well as other marine life. It is noteworthy that birds never feed on emissions. Among the penguins, there are those who prefer to enjoy only fish.
7. The number of nerve endings in the paws is minimal
Have you ever wondered why penguins do not freeze on ice? And more precisely, their paws? There is an explanation for this. The fact is that birds have a minimal number of nerve endings on the legs, and they have the form of “fins”.
In addition, penguins have heavier bones than other birds. By the way, their wings, reminiscent of fins, allow birds to develop a maximum speed of movement under water - up to 11 km / h.
6. Antonio Pigafett defined them as “strange geese”
The Italian writer Antonio Pigafett (1492-1531) in 1520, after an expedition in which he accompanied Fernand Magellan, left interesting notes. He compared South American penguins to geese, this is what he wrote: “Strange geese could not fly ...»
By the way, it was Pigafett who pointed out the fact that penguins are well-fed animals, and this predetermined what they began to call them: in Latin "thick "pinquis (penguis)and so formed the "penguin."
By the way, even before Pythaghettus, birds were seen by a seafarer with a crew of sailors (in 1499) from Portugal, and one of the participants described spectacled penguins as huge birds that looked like geese. Well, there really are similarities ...
5. Galapagos penguins - do not live in polar latitudes
Galapagos Penguin - the only member of the Penguin family adapted to live in the northern hemisphere - in Ecuador, and, one might say, is exceptional among its brethren, because it climbed into warm conditions. There he is saved by a cold current, which reduces the temperature of the water to the required level (about 20 degrees).
Of course, the bulk lives in Antarctica, but there are penguins living in the southern zones. The Galapagos penguin is distinguished by its tiny size (the smallest of the Penguin family) - on average, their height does not exceed 53 cm, and their weight is up to 2.6 kg. Males are more than females. Diving into the water to a depth of 30 m, they prey on the inhabitants of the sea world.
4. Golden-haired penguins are the most common
The golden-haired (also called “crested” or “rocky”) penguin has an interesting feature in appearance (by the way, thanks to which he got his name) - he has a bright crest of a characteristic shade on his head. In addition, the golden-haired penguin also has attractive yellow eyebrows ending with a brush and black feathers on the top of the head.
These perky animals can compete with other species with their external data. In addition, in terms of study, they are very funny and interesting creatures. Crested Penguin is considered the most attractive and common among other species..
3. Papuan penguins - the fastest
Penguins are known to be very fast in the water. Papuan (aka “subantarctic”) is considered the largest, but only after the royal and imperial. In addition, also the fastest! Being under water, it develops a speed of up to 36 km / h.
However, the larger the penguin, the lower its speed due to the increasing resistance of the water column. For example, royal or Antarctic floats at a speed of 8.5 km / h. Sometimes this penguin is also called the "talus-tail", as its tail consists of a large number of feathers.
2. Polar penguins are the most frost-resistant
Penguins are very frost-resistant sea animals. The special plumage and a sufficiently thick body fat layer prevent these wonderful creatures from freezing.
So, a king penguin, for example, can withstand temperatures up to -60 ° C, and penguins that live in the South Pole (where their vast majority are located) live in conditions of low temperature, reaching up to -80 ° C. Stacking together, they warm up. Interestingly, in this way, in schools, the temperature reaches + 30 ° C! Polar penguins are the most frost-resistant.
1. Emperor penguins are the largest
Representatives of the Penguins are distinguished by beauty, dexterity, interesting features. We know about many types of penguins, and also from the article we already realized that imperial - the largest species. When it is stretched to its full height, its height is 1.1 meters, it happens that the males cross this digital line, reaching 1.3 meters.
The average weight of the emperor penguin is 36.7 kg. But the females weigh a little less - 28.4 kg. The emperor penguin is the largest and oldest bird, which is interesting - in translation from ancient Greek, their name means “wingless diver”. They dive really deep, and feel comfortable in the water.