Intro to Penguins

Here is just some basic information about the Penguin.

Penguins are flightless birds that live in the southern hemisphere. Only a few species out of the 17 different ones actually live in Antarctica. The tallest species of penguin is the Emperor Penguin (3 ft. 7 in. average), and the shortest species is the Little Blue Penguin (16 in. average). Penguins will live in the water and on land. They eat different types of fish, krill, squid, and other types of sea creatures they can catch while they are swimming in the water. While on land, penguins mate and hatch eggs that they protect until they hatch. Penguins tend to stay in large colonies together and do not stray away from them because they could be in danger if found all alone. Penguins are also found in zoos around the world. They need cooler climates than what we are use to so they must have specific indoor habitats made to make the climate they need. There are two zoo habitats with four different species of penguins in them. These zoos are the Saint Louis Zoo in St. Louis, Missouri and the second zoo is in the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska.

Fun Fact:  Penguins’ black and white colors are used as camouflage. While swimming in the water, penguins have many predators that are much larger than them. While penguins are swimming above their predator, their white undersides help blend them in with the bright sun if a predator is looking up at them. While penguins are swimming below their predator, their black backs and wings help blend them in with the dark ocean floor beneath them if a predator is looking down at them.