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This cute bird is famous not only from their black and white colored skin but also their unique way of walking. Can you figure it out? Got no clue? Alright I’ll give you more clues. Have you ever saw Madagascar film? This is a film about the animals that run away from the zoo. There are also four smart birds named Skipper, Kowalski, Private and Rico. I bet that you can figure it out. Yes it’s penguin! This flightless bird can be located in the southern part of our Earth. Behind its cute looking and funny way of walking, penguin has still more to show. So, are you ready to reveal the amazing facts from this aquatic bird? Here they are.
1. Penguin Family
penguin facts – Penguin Family
Penguin is categorized into the family of Spheniscidae and they have 16 different species around the world. Penguin is not only located in the cold environment but also in the tropical area. The natural habitat of penguin is dispersed in the Arctic, Argentina, Australia, Chile, New Zealand, and South Africa.
2. Excellent Swimmer
penguin facts – Excellent Swimmer
The body of penguin is very suitable for living on the ocean. Their wings are not designed to fly but it’s allowing them to move swiftly under the sea. Their wings will keep their body balance when they go to the surface. Penguin can move faster on the sea rather than walking in land. Their average speed of swimming can go up to 6-12 km per hour. Penguin is also a good diver as they can hold their breath for 20 minutes while diving.
3. Sharp Eye
penguin facts – Sharp Eye
The third amazing fact of penguin on the list is, they have a pair of sharp eyes. Their vision ability is more effective under the sea. So, it’s really useful to hunt their prey. The favorite diets of penguin are consist of fish, squid, krill and the other sea creatures.
4. Super Gland
penguin facts – Super Gland
The next amazing fact about penguin is, they have an extraordinary gland that is capable to filtering the ocean water so they can drink it. Penguin is equipped with the supraorbital gland to filtering the amount of salt from the ocean. The residual salt will secreted through the nasal respiratory system into a thick liquid.
5. Camouflage Expert
penguin facts – Camouflage Expert
The color of penguin is generally consisting of two colors, black and white. This is not only just a combination of color but also meant to survive. The white color on their belly will perfectly fused with the reflection of the ocean while the black color on their back will allowing them to camouflage from their predators above the water.
6. Natural Predator
penguin facts – Natural Predator – images : zmescience.com
The natural predators of penguin are consisting of sea lion and killer whale. However, penguins are also known to fight with the other especially when the female penguin is losing their baby (caused by storm or eaten by the predators). The female penguin will “stealing” a baby penguin from another female. This instinctive behavior will stimulate female penguin inside the group will help and defending the female penguin when her baby is stolen.
7. Many Kind Of Species
penguin facts – Many Kind Of Species
There are 17 species penguin in the world. While the other species are grow, the thirteen of the tota population are also decreasing. The threat of global warming which is slowly destroying the ice is also contributing to the destroyed natural habitat of penguin. However, we can still save them and the other animals in the world by conducting the act of reused, recycle and reduce. A small action from us will definitely make a big positive change not only for the animals but also the surrounding environment.
8. Big and Small
penguin facts – Emperor Penguin
The next amazing fact will dealing about the size of penguin. The largest species penguin in the world is the Emperor penguin. They can grow up to 90 pounds. The smallest species of penguin in the world is the Fairy penguin and their weight is only 4 pound and their height is only 40 cm.
9. The Rarest Species
penguin facts – yelloweyed
The yellow eyed penguin is the rarest species of penguin in the world. The total population of this bird is only around 5.000 penguins in the wild. The yellow eyed penguin can only located along the south east part of New Zealand and the islands nearby.
10. Social Bird
penguin facts – Social Bird
Penguin is a social bird and they form a colony. They also use a numbering system for every descendant. So they also have their own census system which can only be understand by them. This bird is just too awesome. I believe that you never thought this fact isn’t it?
11. The King and Emperor Fact
penguin facts – The King and Emperor Fact
The Emperor and King penguin are known to raise the egg inside their body so they don’t have to make a nest. They will keep the egg between their legs and the egg will not be freezing because there are skins under the lower part of their body which is called as “brood pouch”. The male Emperor penguin will incubate the egg for two month in the winter without food while the female is replacing his responsibility to hunt. During that time, they only live from their fat and losing almost half of their weight. When the female is back from hunting, the male penguin will take the responsibility to hunt.
12. Friendly Bird
penguin facts – Friendly Bird
The next interesting fact about penguin is, they are not afraid with the presence of human. They are also known to approaching a group of scientist who are studying them on the wild.
13. The Home of African Penguin
penguin facts – The Home of African Penguin
The next amazing fact about penguin is coming from one of the species named African Penguin. The natural habitat of African penguin or Spheniscus demersus can be located in the Boulder Beach, South Africa. There are almost 21.000 of African penguin in there. Altough it looks abundant but these birds are also facing the danger of extinction. The scientists are calculating that this cute little bird will really extinct in 15 years. Well, let’s prove the scientists wrong. Let’s keep their population by not destroying their natural habitat.
14. Sea Bird
penguin facts – Sea Bird
Penguin will spend most of their lifetime under the sea. Depend on the species, a wild penguin could live for 15-20 years.
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