Some people love spiders, while others don’t. Some people are dog people, while others are cat people. There’s a lot of animals that cause divisions and disputes among people. One animal that we’re sure we can all agree upon as being too cute to hate is penguins. Right? Did you know that on April 25th it’s officially World Penguin Day? In honour of the occasion, we’ve done a bit of research and found some truly fascinating facts about everyone’s favourite black and white flightless birds. Enjoy!
Masters of Disguise?
Looking at penguins head on with their striking colours, you’d never really think of them as being masters of stealth camouflage and disguise, would you? Well, the funny thing is that that’s exactly what their colourings are there for. You see, from above the black back of the penguin blends perfectly into the blackened and murky depths of the ocean. While, from below, its white belly makes it almost invisible against the bright surface of the water. Amazing!
Penguins Are Southerners
Have you ever been involved in one of those tired and boring debates about which is best, north or south? We’ve got the answer to the argument. When you factor in where all the penguins in the world, that’s 17 different species, originate from, there can only be one winner. Penguins are in fact southerners as they’re only found in the Southern Hemisphere.
What Happens to All that Seawater?
If you’ve ever seen a penguin hunt for fish, you’ll have noticed that they seem to take a fair amount of seawater into their bodies. What happens to it though and why do they not have insane blood pressure? Well, penguins are equipped with a special gland found behind their eyes. Known as the supraorbital gland. This gland helps to filter the saltwater from their bloodstream. It is excreted either by sneezing, gross, or through their beaks. Spitting?
Three’s a Crowd…Unless You’re a Penguin
We’ve all heard the phrase, two’s company, three’s a crowd. While that applies to humans, the same can’t be said for penguins. Apart from two breeds of these glorious animals, penguins breed in huge colonies that consist of as many as a thousand birds. There’s really no privacy!
Time-saving Moulting
Most birds tend to lose and then replace a few of their feathers at a time. Penguins, not wanting to be the same as all other birds, are different. They moult all their dead feathers at the same time. This happens when they spend a good two to three weeks located solely on land, until they’ve undergone a process known, dramatically, as the catastrophic moult.
Twenty’s Plenty, Unless You’re a Gentoo Penguin
It must be said that out of the water penguins look clumsy and quirky. In the water though, they turn into the masters of swimming. In fact, the fastest species of penguin is the Gentoo, that can achieve speeds as fast as 22mph.
Adopt a penguin
Folly Farm in Pembrokeshire south wales is not only a great place to take the family for all kinds of activities you can also sponsor a Penguin. Check it out here to get your own adoption certificate, fact sheet and cuddly toy. You even get your name displayed on the Penguin enclosure.