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Penguin-like. Penguinidae Penguin belongs to the group

The previous post suggested a topic for me to explore on the Internet. So I decided to learn more about penguins, and at the same time I’ll tell you.

Penguins (lat. Spheniscidae)- a family of flightless seabirds, the only one in the order of penguins (Sphenisciformes). There are 18 species in the family. Next I will show you all of them in more detail.

There are two options for where the name “penguin” comes from: from the Welsh pen (head) and gwyn (white) denoting the extinct great auk (Pinguinus impennis) from the auk family. And sailors named penguins the same way because of their similarity. From the Latin word “pinguis” - “fat” this is confirmed by the fact that in many European languages the word “penguin” is associated with the word “fat”

The largest of the modern representatives is the emperor penguin (height - 110-120 cm, weight up to 46 kg), the smallest are representatives of the species Eudyptula minor - the little penguin (height 30-40 cm, weight 1-2.5 kg). And here he is:

The pectoral muscles are unusually developed and sometimes account for up to 30% of body weight, which is several times greater than the muscles of the most powerful flying birds. The femurs are very short, the knee joint is immobile, and the legs are noticeably set back, causing an unusually straight gait. Large feet with a swimming membrane are relatively short - when on land, animals often rest, standing on their heels, while the rigid tail feathers serve as additional support for them. The tail of penguins is greatly shortened, since the steering function, which it usually has in other waterfowl, is performed primarily by the legs in penguins. The second clear difference between penguins and other birds is bone density. All birds have tubular bones, which makes their skeleton lighter and allows them to fly or run fast. But in penguins they are similar to the bones of mammals (dolphins and seals) and do not contain internal cavities.

The air in the layers of feathers also effectively protects against heat loss when in water. Penguins also have a well-developed “heat transfer system” in their fins and legs: the arterial blood entering them transfers heat to the colder venous blood flowing back to the body, thus keeping heat loss to a minimum. This process is called the "reverse flow principle". On the other hand, penguin species living in tropical waters have to cope with overheating. Their fins have a larger area relative to their body size, so the surface from which heat transfer occurs is increased. In addition, some species also lack facial plumage, which speeds up the process of heat transfer in the shade.

During molting, penguins shed a large number of feathers at once and during this time they are unable to swim in the water and remain without food until new feathers grow. New feathers grow under the old ones and seem to push them out. During this period, which lasts from two to six weeks in different species, birds use fat reserves twice as fast. Subantarctic penguins (Pygoscelis papua) and Galapagos penguins (Spheniscus mendiculus) do not have a clear molting period; in these species it can begin at any time between hatching chicks. In birds that do not hatch chicks, molting almost always begins earlier than in others.

They also have natural enemies. Yes, and they’re so toothy. The link to a detailed post about them is at the very end of the article.

Analysis of the pigment composition allows us to conclude that penguins see in the blue part of the spectrum better than in the red, and probably even perceive ultraviolet rays. Since light from the red part of the spectrum is scattered already in the upper layers of water, this feature of vision is likely the result of evolutionary adaptation. Penguin ears, like those of most birds, do not have a clear external structure. When diving, they are tightly closed with special feathers, so that water does not penetrate inside the ear. In Emperor penguins, the edge of the outer ear is also enlarged so that it can be closed, thereby protecting the middle and inner ear from pressure damage that can be caused by diving to great depths. Underwater, penguins make almost no sounds, but on land they communicate through calls that resemble the sounds of a trumpet and rattle. It has not yet been established whether they use hearing to track prey and detect their natural enemies.

Penguins feed on fish - Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarcticum), anchovies (Engraulidae) or sardines (in Clupeidae), as well as crabs such as krill, or small cephalopods, which they hunt by swallowing directly under water. If different species share the same habitat, their diets tend to differ.

The average speed that penguins develop in water is from five to ten kilometers per hour, but higher rates are possible over short distances.

The fastest way to travel is “dolphin swimming”; in this case, the animal jumps out of the water for a short time, like a dolphin. The reasons for this behavior are not clear: it probably helps to reduce current resistance, or is intended to confuse natural enemies.

In diving, some penguins break records: smaller species such as the subantarctic penguin (Pygoscelis papua) can stay underwater for one or (rarely) more than two minutes and dive to depths of 20 meters, but Emperor penguins can stay underwater for 18 minutes and dive to more than 530 meters. Although it is precisely the superpowers of Emperor penguins that remain poorly understood to this day, it is known, however, that when diving, the animal’s pulse is reduced to one-fifth of its resting heart rate; Thus, oxygen consumption is reduced, which allows you to increase the duration of stay under water with the same volume of air in the lungs. The mechanism for regulating pressure and body temperature when diving to great depths remains unknown.

When leaving the water, penguins can jump over the height of the coastline up to 1.80 m. Due to their relatively short legs on land, penguins move by waddling from side to side - this method of movement, as biomechanical studies have proven, saves a lot of energy. On ice, penguins can also move quickly - they slide down mountains while lying on their stomachs. Some species travel many kilometers between the sea and the place where their colony has settled.

Classification
The Penguin family (lat. Spheniscidae) contains 6 genera, 18 species:

Genus Aptenodytes (Imperial)
Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri)
Breeds along the coast of Antarctica on ice, south of 78° south latitude.

Its body length is 110-120 cm. Weight is 20-45 kg.
The first pairs begin to be created in April, after 25 days a white egg is laid, the only one during the breeding season. The female holds the egg on her paws for some time, covering it with a special fold of skin on the underside of her abdomen. After a few hours it is transmitted to the male. After this, the females, one after another, go to sea. This goes on for about two months, and when the time for the chicks to hatch approaches, at the end of July the females, well-fed and fat, begin to arrive from the sea. Each female finds her male by voice. The male, hungry for 4 months, hastily gives the egg to his girlfriend and hurries to the sea.
Feeds on small fish, small cephalopods and planktonic crustaceans, mainly euphausiid crustaceans

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonica)
Lives further north, in warmer places. Breeding colonies are located on the islands of South Georgia, Kerguelen, Marion, Crozet and Macquarie.

Body length is 91-96 cm. Colonies are located on hard rocky soil. Reproduction occurs in summer: eggs are laid mainly in December - January. Each female lays only 1 large egg. Both parents incubate alternately. Incubation duration 54 days

Genus Eudyptes (Crested)

Rockhopper penguin or rock climber penguin, rock penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome)

There are 3 subspecies:
Eudyptes chrysocome chrysocome
Eudyptes chrysocome filholi
Eudyptes chrysocome moseleyi

It lives on the rocky islands of the subantarctic region, but is sometimes found further north, on the southern tip of Africa and South America, as well as on the southern coast of New Zealand.
Reaches 45-58 cm in height, weight 2-3 kg.

It nests in large colonies on the barren and very harsh islands of Tristanda Cunha and Heard Island. In a noisy and crowded colony, the small first egg is usually lost in quarrels with neighbors. The chicks go to the nursery, but return to the nest when their parents call them to feed them. The chicks grow quickly and at the age of 10 weeks are ready to go to sea.

Victoria penguin or crested thick-billed penguin (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus)

It nests only on the rocky, creviced coast of South Island in New Zealand, as well as on two small offshore islands - Stuart and Solander.
Reaches 60 cm in length, weighing about 3 kg.

Golden-crested snar penguin or crested snar penguin (Eudyptes robustus)
The Snares Islands, a chain stretching south of New Zealand, are the only habitat for these penguins.

Reaches 63 cm in height, weighing about 3 kg.
Lives in favorable conditions of a temperate climate. The waters off the Snares Islands are warm enough that penguins rarely swim south beyond the sub-Antarctic region

Schlegel's penguin or Macquarie penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli)
It lives on the barren, deserted Macquarie Island, located in the Pacific Ocean in close proximity to the Antarctic belt.

In size, appearance and habits it is similar to the golden-haired pengiguin.
Reaches 65-75 cm in length, weighing 5.5 kg

Great crested penguin (Eudyptes sclateri)

Breeds only on four small islands south of New Zealand. Large colonies are located on the Antipodes Islands and Bounty Island, small colonies are located on Auckland and Campbell Islands.
Reaches 65 cm in height, weighing about 2.5-3.5 kg.

Golden-haired penguin or Macaroni penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus)
Distributed throughout the southern Atlantic and Indian oceans. They breed on South Georgia, South Shetland, South Orkney and some other subantarctic islands.
Body length 65-76 cm.

Their colonies are very numerous - up to 600 thousand nesting individuals. They nest on the ground, making very primitive nests. 2 eggs are laid. Hatching duration is 35 days, with changes of parents characteristic of penguins

Genus Eudyptula (Small)

Little penguin, elf penguin, little blue penguin, little blue penguin (Eudyptula minor)

It stays off the southern coast of Australia, along the coasts of Tasmania, New Zealand and Chatham Island.
It has a body length of only 40 cm. Usually lays 1-2, sometimes 3 eggs.

White-winged penguin, northern little penguin, little northern penguin (Eudyptula albosignata)

Body length is about 30 cm and weight is 1.5 kg. Breeds only on Motunau Island, near Canterbury (New Zealand), and is endangered.

Genus Megadyptes (Magnificent)

Magnificent penguin, yellow-eyed penguin, Antipodean penguin, Hoiho penguin (Megadyptes antipodes)

Breeds along the southern coast of the New Zealand islands and on Stewart, Auckland and Campbell Islands in September - November.
The body length reaches 83 cm.

These birds do not form colonies and usually nest in separate pairs. Young penguins (at the age of 3 years) lay 1 egg, older penguins almost always lay 2 eggs. The incubation period of the magnificent penguin is 4 weeks. Sexual maturity of birds apparently occurs in the 4-5th year of life.

Genus Pygoscelis (Antarctic)

Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae)
Breeds along the shores of the Antarctic continent and on the islands close to the mainland: South Shetland, South Orkney and South Sandwich. Outside the nesting season, it wanders widely, moving 600-700 km from its native places.

This is a fairly large bird, up to 80 cm high. Nesting colonies are located on hard, snow-free ground. In individual colonies there are several tens of thousands of birds. There are usually 2 eggs in a clutch, which are laid with an interval of 2-4 days. The duration of their incubation is 33-38 days.

Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica)
It lives mainly on the barren islands of the subantarctic region.

It reaches a height of 71-76 cm and weighs 4 kg.
These penguins are quite aggressive. There are known cases of these birds attacking people who approach the colony. Unlike other species, they feed both their chicks.

Subantarctic penguin, Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua)
These birds nest in Antarctica and on islands in the sub-Antarctic region, including the Falkland Islands and Crozet Islands. Nests are made among tufts of turfy grass.

Lay 2 eggs. The chicks have to fight for their parents to feed them. The parent runs away, and the children try to catch up with him. The larger and stronger older chick usually wins the race; the second chick is fed only if there is a lot of food. Otherwise he dies. With a height of 75-90 cm and a weight of about 6 kg, this penguin is the largest representative of the genus of long-tailed penguins.

Genus Spheniscus (spectacled)

Donkey penguin, African penguin (Spheniscus demersus)

Distributed off the southern and southwestern coasts of Africa.
Body length 61-86 cm.
Reproduction occurs throughout the year, mainly in May-June.

Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus)
This is the only penguin that breeds in the tropics. The female lays 2 eggs in rock crevices in the colder season (May-June).

This is the smallest representative of the spectacled penguin genus, reaching a height of 53 cm and weighing 2-2.5 kg.
Despite the fact that Galapagos penguins live on islands where temperatures often rise to 38°C, they find food in the cold waters of the Cromwell Current.

Humboldt penguin, Peruvian penguin (Spheniscus humboldti)
Inhabits islands off the western coast of South America, the coasts of Peru and Chile.

Reaches a height of 55-56 cm, with a weight of 5 kg.
Endangered; there are less than 10 thousand birds

Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus)
It lives on the rocky, windswept southern coast of South America and the Falkland Islands.

Reaches a height of 70 cm and weighs about 4 kg.
On the shore during the breeding season, these birds are very timid and, when they see a person, hide in their deep nests, but in the water they are not at all afraid of people and can be quite aggressive. The population of these birds is quite large (1-2 million) and seems quite stable

Penguins live in the open seas of the Southern Hemisphere: in the coastal waters of Antarctica, New Zealand, southern Australia, South Africa, along the entire west coast of South America from the Falkland Islands to Peru, as well as on the Galapagos Islands near the Equator. Penguins prefer cool weather, so in tropical latitudes they appear only with cold currents - the Humboldt Current on the west coast of South America or the Benguela Current, which arises at the Cape of Good Hope and washes the west coast of South Africa.

Most species live between 45° and 60° south latitude; the largest concentration of individuals is in Antarctica and on the adjacent islands.

The northernmost habitat of penguins is the Galapagos Islands, located near the equator.

Penguins most often nest in large colonies, often numbering tens of thousands of pairs or more. Both parents alternately take part in incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks. The chicks feed on semi-digested fish and crustaceans regurgitated by their parents. The cubs find refuge from the cold in the lower folds of the parent's abdomen.

In cold Antarctic regions, one egg is hatched; in temperate and warm regions, there may be several eggs.

and some interesting facts briefly:

All penguins live in the southern hemisphere, sometimes going far to the north (to the Galapagos Islands, almost at the equator) or to densely populated cities (the North Harbor area in Sydney, Australia). Cody's homeland is Shiverpool in Antarctica, but he is happy to live on the tropical island of Pen Gu.

Penguins can stand upright because their webbed feet are located at the very end of their body. This is also what makes them such fast and strong swimmers, especially when combined with their oar-shaped wings. This is how Cody manages to catch up with Mikey the whale and get a ticket to the Big Z tournament.

The penguin is the only bird that can swim but cannot fly. In addition, it is the only bird that walks standing. In this topic I will tell you about these amazing creatures. Penguins are wingless waterfowl that live in their natural environment only in the lands of the southern hemisphere. Most penguins spend half their lives in the ocean and the other half on land. Basically, most penguin species are found in Antarctica and some of the other coldest areas of the hemisphere. Some few species can survive in temperate and even tropical latitudes. In general, penguins are created for life in the sea. Some species spend as much as 75% of their lives in water; they come to land only to lay eggs and wait for offspring. The heavy, hard bones act like a heavy diver's belt in the water, allowing penguins to stay underwater. Their wings, shaped like fins, help them “steer” underwater at speeds of up to 15 mph. The streamlined body, paddle-like legs, insulating layer of fat and waterproof feathers all serve to ensure their efficient and comfortable stay underwater. They also have the remarkable ability to dive deeply (discussed below). In addition, in order not to lose heat, penguins have hard, very compactly arranged feathers (up to 70 per sq. cm), which provide waterproofing.

Penguins coat their feathers with fat from a gland near the tail to increase impenetrability. Their black and white coloring makes them almost invisible to predators both above and below. Like most birds, penguins have little or no sense of smell (good for them in their crowded colonies). Like other birds, penguins have limited taste buds. It is believed that their vision is better when they are underwater. Scientists suspect penguins may be nearsighted on land. Penguins are considered by scientists to be the most social birds. Colonies can contain thousands of individuals. (As many as 24 million penguins visit Antarctica!) Even at sea, they tend to swim and feed in groups. Most species of penguins build nests, but nests may only consist of rock piles, scraps, or voids in the mud. Emperor penguins do not build nests; they store the egg between their legs under a loose fold of skin called a brood pouch.

The entire body of the penguin is covered with small scale-like feathers, most of which consist of only rods, without fans. The head of some species is decorated with tufts of long, bristly feathers, while others have tail feathers that are also long. The head is small, the beak is as long as the head, straight, strong, hard, laterally compressed; the neck is of medium length, passing into an almost cone-shaped body; the legs are short, almost entirely enclosed in the skin of the body, as a result of which they allow only short steps; the fingers are highly developed, all four are directed forward, but only three of them are connected by a membrane. On the ground, the bird stands vertically, resting on the back surface of the metatarsus, but when walking, the latter stands almost vertically. Penguins walk with great difficulty, waddling; wanting to avoid danger, they lie down on their belly and glide with the help of their wings and legs so quickly that it is difficult to catch up with them, especially on a snow-covered surface. Penguins swim and dive excellently and with amazing ease overcome the stormy waves of the open ocean - their real sphere. Unlike other birds, penguins swim using only their wings, using them alternately; the legs serve solely as a rudder and are extended straight back. Penguins' food consists of fish, crustaceans and soft-bodied animals. Penguins devote a significant part of the year to breeding and at this time tens and hundreds of thousands gather on the most secluded islands of the Antarctic ocean. At this time, even non-brooding birds live on land. They nest as they generally live - in societies. They lay two white or greenish-white eggs, which are watched by both parents in turn, since penguins have a strong habit of stealing other people's eggs. This explains the frequent fact that chicks of different species are found in the same nest. The chicks hatch thickly covered with down and grow quickly, thanks to the extremely plentiful food continuously supplied by the parents. Towards the end of hatching, the plumage of the latter is torn off to the last extent and they begin to molt, often retiring to secluded corners for this. Molting, judging by observations in captivity, proceeds very quickly, ending in about two weeks. At the same time, penguins do not go into the water and, therefore, do not feed, which is obviously easy for them, thanks to the thick layer of subcutaneous fat.
Penguin meat is very tasteless. The northernmost limit of penguin distribution runs in the Atlantic Ocean through the island of Tristan d'Acuña, in the Indian Ocean through the island of Amsterdam, and in the Pacific through the Galapagos Islands; they are also found near the coasts of New Zealand, South Australia, the southern tip of Africa and along the Pacific coast of South America, this family can be divided into three groups, well characterized not only by external, but also by anatomical characteristics. The first includes forms that are large, have a long, thin, slightly curved beak and includes the genera Aptenodytes and Pygoscelis. it includes the Patagonian penguin (A. patagonica) and the long-billed penguin (A. longirostris). The second group - the genus Eudyptes - has a shorter but high beak and is easily recognized by its beautiful yellow brow tufts. It includes the golden-haired penguin (E. chrysocome). The third group has a very short beak, strongly compressed from the sides, the upper jaw is curved, the lower one is straight cut; mendiculus from the Galapagos Islands. Fossil remains of penguins are few in number, but a large form of penguins (Palaeeudyptes antarcticus) is known from the Upper Eocene layers of New Zealand, proving the antiquity of this group of birds.

Types of penguins:

The African penguin, Spheniscus demersus, is also called the Blackfoot penguin. This penguin was found off the coast of southern Africa. African penguins can swim at speeds of approximately 4.3 to 15 miles per hour (7-24 km/h), and they also make sounds reminiscent of donkeys. The number of African (donkey) penguins has decreased so much that it is time to take urgent action. Last year in South Africa there were only 26 thousand pairs of penguins, compared to 121 thousand in 1956, and at the beginning of the last century the population of these birds reached two million individuals. Scientists are calling for urgent measures to be taken - this is the only way to stop further population decline. In addition, experts must establish what reasons caused such a sharp decline in the number of penguins. According to Peter Barham, from the University of Bristol (UK), the main factor here may be a reduction in food resources. In particular, it is likely that this was caused by overfishing of sardines and anchovies, or by the movement of fish to other areas due to global warming. It is also possible that the penguins were simply weakened by environmental pollution, which affected their ability to get food. Other negative factors include seals preying on penguins, oil spills and a reduction in the number of cool places in the colonies suitable for breeding, caused by climate change.

Falkland Islands penguins

The Magellanic penguin is a summer resident of the islands (with an estimated population of 100,000 pairs) that arrives to breed on the islands in September. These penguins nest in burrows dug to a depth of 4 to 6 feet. It is locally nicknamed "donkey" because of its loud and harsh call, often uttered upon entering a burrow and also used to receive news from birds swimming in the sea some distance from the shore. This species feeds on small crustaceans, small fish and smaller varieties of squid than those caught by humans for sale. However, their food diet may still be a source of potential conflict with commercial fishing and other marine operations. Magellan penguins leave their nests in April, apparently heading to the Patagonian shelf waters for the winter, or perhaps migrating far north to Brazil. Here they face problems such as poaching and oil pollution. An estimated 20,000 adults and 22,000 teenagers die along the Argentine coast every year. Research in the Falkland Islands recently showed a decline in Magellan penguin numbers of 10% each year, but because the species is highly secretive, its numbers are difficult to estimate. The Falkland Islands are one of the most important breeding grounds for birds in the world and, given the challenges faced by the species in Chile and Argentina, the survival of healthy Falkland Islands populations may be unexpectedly important to the survival of the species in general.

The Galapagos penguin is unique among other penguins in that its habitat is not the Antarctic and subantarctic regions, not even temperate ones, but the Galapagos Islands, located just a few tens of kilometers from the equator. The air temperature in their habitats ranges from +18-+28°C, water temperature - +22-+24°C. About 90% of penguins live on the islands of Fernandina and Isabela. Adults reach a height of about 50 cm and a weight of about 2.5 kg. The main diet is small fish and crustaceans. Galapagos penguins have a black head and back, a white stripe running from the throat up to the head and reaching the eyes, and the penguins are white in front. The mandible and the tip of the mandible are black, the mandible and the skin around the eyes are pinkish-yellow. Birds usually incubate eggs for 38-40 days, alternating between male and female. At the age of 60-65 days, the chicks go to sea with the adults. Galapagos penguins nest near the water. The number of individuals is estimated at 1500-2000 adult birds. The GALAPAGOS PENGUIN species is listed in the International Red Book.

The magnificent penguin. The magnificent penguin is also called the yellow-eyed penguin. It belongs to the penguin family. Also known as the Antipodean penguin and Hoiho.

The emperor penguin is the largest penguin species. If he just stands hunched over on land, his height will be 90 centimeters. If he moves, then his height is as much as 110-120 centimeters. The weight of this penguin reaches 20-45 kilograms. In terms of color, emperor penguins have the following differences: the dorsal side is dark or grayish-blue; on the head this color usually turns black. There are round yellowish-orange spots near the ears that extend to the underside of the neck, which gradually fade to white. When is the emperor penguin born? Its body is covered with white or grayish-white down. Emperor penguins nest along the shores of Antarctica, south to 78 degrees south latitude. The nesting grounds of emperor penguins, unlike others, occur during a very harsh time of year - the Antarctic winter, and already at the end of the Antarctic summer the first emperor penguins are born. Usually at first they do not behave very actively, they slouch. They lead a passive lifestyle, but then the situation changes, and penguin pairs begin to form in April.

Golden-haired penguin(lat. Eudyptes crysolophus) is a genus of crested penguins. Characteristic. Having, as is typical of all penguins, a dark dorsal side with an almost black head and a white belly, they are distinguished by the presence of tufts of golden-yellow feathers above the eyes, forming a crest. The body length of golden-haired penguins is 65-76 cm. Golden-haired penguins are distributed throughout the southern Atlantic and Indian oceans. Golden-haired penguins nest on South Georgia, South Shetland, South Orkney and some other subantarctic islands. Their colonies are very numerous - up to 600 thousand nesting individuals. In total, there are at least 2 million adult golden-bellied penguins on the coasts and valleys of Macquarie Island alone. Golden-haired penguins nest on the ground, making very primitive nests. Two eggs are laid, the second four days after the first. Both eggs are fertilized, but the first is always smaller than the second, and the bird usually does not incubate it. The duration of incubation is 35 days, with changes of parents characteristic of penguins. Adult birds raise their chicks for about two to three weeks, after which a “nursery” is formed, followed by molting and going to sea around the end of January. A specific feature of golden-haired penguin colonies is a strong smell, reminiscent of rotten fish, which can be smelled several kilometers from the colony. The species GOLDEN-HAIRED PENGUIN is listed in the International Red Book.

Humboldt Penguin. This type of penguin is found only along the west coast of South America, in the zone of influence of the Peruvian Current (Foc Island). A separate colony of these penguins exists on the Punihuil Islands. In total, there are about 12,000 pairs of individuals of this species left in the world. 8 of them nest in Chile, 4 in Peru. The Humboldt penguin is listed in the Red Book as one of the endangered species. Due to the fact that there is now overfishing, the size of this population is significantly reduced. Also contributing to the population decline is the fact that some birds simply get entangled in fishing nets and die there. The size of an individual Humboldt penguin is approximately 70 centimeters. Its weight is about 4 kilograms. The Humboldt Penguin is very similar to the Magellanic Penguin. The coloration of female Humboldt penguins is similar to that of males, but the females are slightly smaller in size than the males. Penguins of this species lay eggs from March to December. Depending on where the colony is located, the peak may occur either in April-May or in September-October. This is a completely possible situation. When Humboldt penguins raise two broods per year, if environmental conditions support this.

King Penguin(lat. Aptenodytes patagonicus) is a flightless bird from the penguin family (Spheniscidae). The king penguin is similar to the emperor penguin, but is slightly smaller in size and brighter in color. The body length of the king penguin is from 91 to 96 cm. Adult birds have a gray back, large bright orange spots on the sides of the black head and on the chest. The belly is white. Chicks are brown in color. Spreading. The king penguin nests on the islands near Tierra del Fuego: South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands, Marion, Crozier, Kerguelen (island), Heard, Macquarie.

The penguin can be considered a highly unusual and mysterious animal, so it is not surprising that it attracts the attention of many people. Thus, the penguin can be found in many literary works, including Gorky and Semenov-Spassky. Several animated films were also shot, for example, “The Adventures of Little Penguin Lolo” and “Catch the Wave!”, because penguins enjoyed special attention from children. Other interesting facts include the existence of the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team, which plays in the strongest hockey league on the planet, and the fact that the penguin is one of the official symbols of the Linux company.

Interesting facts about penguins:
All penguins live in the southern hemisphere, sometimes going far to the north (to the Galapagos Islands, almost at the equator) or to densely populated cities (the North Harbor area in Sydney, Australia). Cody's homeland is Shiverpool in Antarctica, but he is happy to live on the tropical island of Pen Gu.

King penguins like Jik are very good divers. In search of fish and other food, they constantly dive to a depth of 100 meters, and sometimes even 200 meters. However, Jik is lazy and would rather wait until Lani brings him edible shellfish.

Cody is a rock penguin with a fiery temperament and long yellow feathers near his eyes. They are full of energy and often jump on rocks - that's how they got their name!

Gentoo penguins, to which Lani belongs, swim the fastest of all other penguins, sometimes reaching speeds of 36 km/h. Such speed helps Lani to be an excellent rescuer.

King penguin chicks - like Katie and Chumaz - hatch naked and develop feathers within a few weeks. The chick cannot live without its parents until it grows waterproof feathers, and this can happen up to 13 months after its birth.

Can swim, but cannot fly. The penguin is the only bird that can swim but cannot fly. In addition, it is the only bird that walks standing.

Penguins have feathers that grow evenly. Only a few birds have feathers that grow evenly throughout their body; These are usually flightless species such as penguins.

Which feet should you use to walk on water? Birds that walk in shallow waters, such as herons and stilts, have long legs. Birds that walk on carpets of floating leaves and bogs are characterized by long fingers and claws to prevent them from falling through. Penguins have short, thick legs located far behind their center of gravity. For this reason, they can only walk with their body upright and in short steps. If it is necessary to move faster, they lie on their belly and glide, as if on a sleigh, pushing off the snow with flipper-like wings and legs.

The best diver. What do penguins do at a depth of one and a half kilometers? Japanese biologists have installed cameras on the backs of animals that spend a long time in the depths of the sea. As the authors of the project explain, the sun's rays penetrate only 150 meters deep into the ocean, so it is still unknown what, for example, emperor penguins or elephant seals, which can dive one and a half kilometers, do at a depth of half a kilometer.

Can swim for three weeks. The Patagonian penguin can swim for two to three weeks and cover a distance of up to 1,500 km.

The fastest swimmer. The Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) can swim at speeds of up to 27 km/h.

Diving from the surface of the water. Penguins, loons Gavia immer, grebes, diving ducks Clangula hyemalis and many other birds dive from the surface of the water. Lacking the inertia of diving divers, they use the movements of their legs and (or) wings to dive. In such species, the legs are usually located at the rear end of the body, like a propeller under the stern of a ship. When diving, they can reduce buoyancy by pressing their feathers tightly and squeezing their air sacs.

The most evil penguin. Rock penguins have a very angry character, are noisy and aggressive.

General characteristics

The largest of the modern representatives is the emperor penguin (height - 110-120 cm, weight up to 46 kg), the smallest are representatives of the species Eudyptula minor- small penguin (height 30-40 cm, weight 1-2.5 kg). Such significant differences are explained by Bergmann's rule, of which penguins are a common example. Bergmann's rule states that animals living in cold regions have larger body sizes, since this contributes to a more rational ratio of the volume and surface of the animal's body and thereby reduces heat loss.

Emperor penguins in Antarctica

Body structure

Penguins are distinguished from all other birds by a very special body structure. Penguins have a streamlined body shape, which is ideal for moving in water. The forelimbs of penguins are nothing more than flippers. The musculature and structure of the bones allows them to work under water with their wings almost like propellers. Unlike other flightless birds, penguins have a sternum with a clearly defined keel, to which powerful muscles are attached. Swimming underwater differs from flying in the air in that the same energy is expended in raising the wing as in lowering it, since water resistance is greater than air resistance, therefore penguin shoulder blades have a larger surface area on which the muscles are attached compared to other birds. responsible for lifting the wing. The humerus and forearm bones are connected straight and motionless at the elbow, which increases the stability of the wing. The pectoral muscles are unusually developed and sometimes account for up to 30% of body weight, which is several times greater than the muscles of the most powerful flying birds. The femurs are very short, the knee joint is immobile, and the legs are noticeably set back, causing an unusually straight gait. Large feet with a swimming membrane are relatively short - when on land, animals often rest, standing on their heels, while the rigid tail feathers serve as additional support for them. The tail of penguins is greatly shortened, since the steering function, which it usually has in other waterfowl, is performed primarily by the legs in penguins. The second obvious difference between penguins and other birds is bone density. All birds have tubular bones, which makes their skeleton lighter and allows them to fly or run fast. But in penguins they are similar to the bones of mammals (dolphins and seals) and do not contain internal cavities.

Thermoregulation

Within their habitat, penguins are exposed to extreme climatic conditions and have different anatomical features that allow them to adapt to these conditions. Thermal insulation is primarily served by a thick - from 2 to 3 cm - layer of fat, above which there are three layers of waterproof, short, tightly adjacent feathers and evenly distributed throughout the body. Penguins do not have apteria - areas of skin devoid of feathers, unlike almost all other birds; The exception is some tropical species, which have apteria on the front part of the head. The air in the layers of feathers also effectively protects against heat loss when in water. Penguins also have a well-developed “heat transfer system” in their fins and legs: the arterial blood entering them transfers heat to the colder venous blood flowing back to the body, thus keeping heat loss to a minimum. This process is called the "reverse flow principle". On the other hand, penguin species living in tropical waters have to cope with overheating. Their fins have a larger area relative to their body size, so the surface from which heat transfer occurs is increased. In addition, some species also lack facial plumage, which speeds up the process of heat transfer in the shade.

Plumage

The numerous small, undifferentiated, rather hair-like feathers that make up the plumage, in almost all species of penguins, are grayish-blue on the back, turning into black, and white on the belly. This coloring is camouflage for many marine animals (for example, dolphins). Males and females are very similar, although males are slightly larger in size. Most crested penguins (Eudyptes) have a very noticeable orange-yellow head decoration. The plumage of the cubs is often gray or brown, but in some species the sides and belly are white. After hatching eggs and raising chicks, penguins begin molting - changing their plumage. During molting, penguins shed a large number of feathers at once and during this time they are unable to swim in the water and remain without food until new feathers grow. New feathers grow under the old ones and seem to push them out. During this period, which lasts from two to six weeks in different species, birds use fat reserves twice as fast. Subantarctic penguins (Pygoscelis papua) and Galapagos penguins (Spheniscus mendiculus) do not have a clear molting period; in these species it can begin at any time between hatching chicks. In birds that do not hatch chicks, molting almost always begins earlier than in others.

Vision and hearing

Penguins' eyes are perfectly adapted to underwater swimming conditions; The cornea of their eyes is very flat, as a result of which birds are slightly myopic on land. Another means of adaptation is the contractility and extensibility of the pupil, which is especially pronounced in Emperor penguins that dive to great depths. Thanks to this feature, penguins' eyes very quickly adapt to changing light conditions in water at a depth of up to 100 m. Analysis of the pigment composition allows us to conclude that penguins see in the blue part of the spectrum better than in the red, and probably even perceive ultraviolet rays. Since light from the red part of the spectrum is scattered already in the upper layers of water, this feature of vision is likely the result of evolutionary adaptation. Penguin ears, like those of most birds, do not have a clear external structure. When diving, they are tightly closed with special feathers, so that water does not penetrate inside the ear. In Emperor penguins, the edge of the outer ear is also enlarged so that it can be closed, thereby protecting the middle and inner ear from pressure damage that can be caused by diving to great depths. Underwater, penguins make almost no sounds, but on land they communicate through calls that resemble the sounds of a trumpet and rattle. It has not yet been established whether they use hearing to track prey and detect their natural enemies.

Nutrition

Penguins feed on fish - Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarcticum), anchovies (Engraulidae) or sardines (in Clupeidae), as well as crabs such as krill, or small cephalopods, which they hunt by swallowing directly under water. When different species share the same habitat, their diets tend to differ: Adélie penguins and chinstrap penguins prefer krill of different sizes.

Movement

The average speed that penguins develop in water is from five to ten kilometers per hour, but higher rates are possible over short distances. The fastest way to travel is “dolphin swimming”; in this case, the animal jumps out of the water for a short time, like a dolphin. The reasons for this behavior are not clear: it probably helps to reduce current resistance, or is intended to confuse natural enemies.

Habitat

Most species live between 45° and 60° south latitude; the largest concentration of individuals is in Antarctica and on the adjacent islands.

The northernmost habitat of penguins is the Galapagos Islands, located near the equator.

Reproduction

Penguins in folklore

There is a joke among Russian fans of Formula 1 driver Kimi Raikkonen that during the years of his performances for the McLaren team, penguins (unexpectedly jumping onto the track or sitting in the car) were the cause of technical breakdowns and piloting errors.
There is another joke: “ Pengu And we are swallows, only very fat ones».

Literature

Beycek V., Stastny K. Birds. Illustrated encyclopedia. - M.: Labyrinth-press, 2004.
Animal life. T.6 Birds. - M.: Education, 1986.

Emperor or great penguins (Aptenodytes) are birds belonging to the penguin family. The scientific name is translated from Greek as “wingless divers.” Penguins are well known throughout the world for their distinctive black and white plumage and very funny behavior.

Description of the Emperor Penguin

Emperor penguins are very different from other members of the penguin family.. These are the largest and very heavy birds, the peculiarity of which is the inability to build nests, and the eggs are incubated inside a special leathery fold on the belly.

Appearance

Male emperor penguins are capable of reaching a height of 130 cm with an average weight of 35-40 kg, but some individuals have a body weight of 50 kg, and sometimes more. The height of an adult female is 114-115 cm with a body weight of 30-32 kg. This species has the largest muscle mass due to a very well developed thoracic region.

The plumage of the dorsal part of the emperor penguin is black, and the chest is white, making the bird less noticeable to enemies in the water. Under the cervical region and in the cheek area, a yellowish-orange color is characteristic.

This is interesting! The adult penguin's black plumage changes to brown around November, and remains that way until February.

The body of the chicks that are born is covered with pure white or grayish-white fluff. The weight of a born baby averages 310-320 g. The plumage of adult emperor penguins can provide good protection of the body from heat loss without changes in metabolism. Among other things, the heat exchange mechanism of the bloodstream, which circulates in the bird’s paws, combats heat loss.

Another characteristic difference between a penguin and other birds is bone density. If all birds have a tubular bone structure, which makes the skeleton lighter and allows them to fly, then penguins have a skeleton without internal cavities.

Lifespan

Compared to other penguin species, whose average lifespan rarely exceeds fifteen years, king penguins can live a quarter of a century in natural conditions. There are known cases when, when kept in a zoo, the life expectancy of individuals exceeded thirty years.

Where does the emperor penguin live?

This bird species is widespread in areas located within 66° and 77° south latitude. To create nesting colonies, places are selected in close proximity to icebergs or ice cliffs, where emperor penguins are most comfortable and have good protection from strong or gusty winds.

The average population of the species can vary between 400-450 thousand individuals, divided into several colonies.

This is interesting! Approximately 300 thousand emperor penguins live on the ice floes located around Antarctica, but during the mating season and to hatch eggs, the birds necessarily migrate to the mainland.

A significant number of breeding pairs are located on “Cape Washington”. This place is rightfully considered one of the largest numbers of king penguins. There are approximately 20-25 thousand nesting pairs of this species here. Large numbers of individuals are also found on the Dronning Maud Lands, Coleman and Victoria Islands, Taylor Glacier and Heard Island.

Lifestyle and behavior

Emperor penguins stay in colonies that find natural shelters, such as cliffs or fairly large ice floes. Around the habitat there are necessarily areas with open water and food supply. To move, these unusual birds very often use their belly, lying on which the emperor penguin begins to actively work not only with its paws, but also with its wings.

To keep warm, adult individuals are able to gather in fairly dense groups. Even with an ambient temperature of −20°C, inside such a group the temperature remains stably at +35°C 35.

This is interesting! To ensure equality, emperor penguins, collected in groups, constantly change places, so individuals placed in the center periodically move to the edge, and vice versa.

The bird spends approximately a couple of months a year in the waters of the area. Emperor penguins have a very proud and majestic appearance, corresponding to their name, but at the same time, they are a very cautious and sometimes even timid bird, so multiple attempts to band them have so far been unsuccessful.

Emperor penguin nutrition

Emperor penguins hunt in groups of varying sizes. As a rule, the bird swims inside a school of fish and quickly attacks its prey, swallowing it. Small fish are consumed directly in the water, but penguins cut up larger prey on the surface.

This is interesting! Adult male and female penguins can travel almost 500 km while squeaking for food. They are not afraid of extreme temperatures of minus 40-70°C and wind speeds of up to 144 km/h.

During hunting, the bird is capable of moving at speeds of up to 5-6 km/h or swimming significant distances. Penguins can stay underwater for up to fifteen minutes. The main guideline in the hunting process is vision. The diet is represented not only by fish, but also by various shellfish, squid and krill.

Reproduction and offspring

King penguins are monogamous, so a pair is created for almost the rest of their lives.. Males use a loud voice to attract their mate. Mating games last for about a month, during which the birds take walks together, as well as peculiar “dances” with low bows and even alternate singing. A single egg during the entire breeding season is laid approximately four weeks later. It is quite large, and has a length of 120 mm and a width of 8-9 mm. The average egg weight varies between 490-510 g. Oviposition occurs in May-early June and, as a rule, is accompanied by loud, jubilant cries of the male and female.

For some time, the female holds the egg in her paws, covering it with a leathery fold on her belly, and after a few hours she passes it to the male. The female, starving for one and a half months, goes hunting, and the male warms the egg in the brood pouch for nine weeks. During this period, the male rarely makes any movements and feeds only on snow, so by the time the chick appears, he is capable of losing more than a third of his original body weight. As a rule, the female returns from hunting in mid-July and, recognizing her male by his voice, replaces him in laying the egg.

This is interesting! Sometimes the female does not have time to return from the hunt before the chick appears, and then the male’s special glands are activated, processing subcutaneous fat into creamy “bird’s milk”, with the help of which the offspring are fed.

The chicks are covered with down, so they will be able to swim only six months after the main moult has passed.. At the age of one and a half months, the baby is separated from his parents for a short time. Often the result of such carelessness is the death of a chick, which is hunted by skuas and predatory giant petrels. A couple who has lost their baby is able to steal someone else's little penguin and raise it as their own. Real battles take place between the natural and “foster” parents, which often end in the death of the birds. Around January, all adult penguins and young ones go to sea.

Natural enemies of the emperor penguin

Adult emperor penguins are powerful and well-developed birds, so in natural conditions they do not have too many enemies.

The only predators that hunt adult penguins of this species are killer whales and. Also, young small penguins and chicks on ice floes can become prey for adult skuas or giant petrels.

Population and species status

The main threats to the king penguin population are global warming, as well as a sharp reduction in the food supply. A decrease in the total area of ice cover on the planet has a very negative impact on the reproduction of king penguins, as well as the fish and crustaceans on which this bird feeds.

Important! As numerous studies show, with a probability of 80%, the population of such penguins risks very soon decreasing to 5% of today’s numbers.

Commercial demand for fish and its irregular catch cause depletion of food resources, so every year it becomes more and more difficult for penguins to get food for themselves. Significant disruption of the natural environment, caused by the massive development of tourism and severe contamination of nesting sites, also has a negative impact on bird numbers. If urgent measures are not taken in the near future, then very soon there will be only 350-400 couples left on the entire globe that will be able to have offspring.

However, these amazing birds are not only the indigenous inhabitants of Antarctica, since penguins also live, for example, in... Africa (yes, such a paradox), but only in its southernmost part, on the territory of South Africa (South African Republic). These flightless birds with interesting habits and unusual appearance have long been the object of study by many zoologists and heroes of children's cartoons (such as Madagascar). The word “penguin” itself, according to one version, is of Welsh origin and comes from the words “pen” - head and “gwyn” - white, which was the original name for the now extinct great auk, which was very similar to penguins, and this name later passed on to them. According to another version, the name “penguin” comes from the English “pinwing”, which means wingspin. And finally, according to the third version, the name of penguins is of Latin origin, since in Latin the word “pinguis” means “thick”.

Penguin: description, structure, characteristics. What does a penguin look like?

Without exception, all penguins are first-class swimmers, and they can also dive well. But, unfortunately, they literally cannot fly at all. And on the ground they move very clumsily due to the structural features of their body.

The penguin's body has a streamlined shape and developed muscles of the pectoral keel, which sometimes makes up a quarter of the total mass of this bird. Also, the body of penguins is usually quite plump (here we remember the Latin name of this bird) and covered with feathers on the sides.

The penguin's head is not very large, however, it is located on a mobile, flexible and short neck and has a powerful and sharp beak.

Why does a penguin need wings if it can't fly? Such a logical question may arise, and we will answer it, the fact is that the penguin’s wings, in the process of evolution, were transformed into flippers, which, while swimming, rotate in the shoulder joint like a screw, all this turns the penguin into an excellent swimmer.

The penguin's legs are short and at the same time thick, each leg has 4 toes, connected by swimming membranes. It is the structure of their legs that leads to the fact that penguins move so funny and clumsily; they are designed in such a way that they always have to keep their body strictly vertical to the surface of the earth.

Penguins also have a short tail, consisting of 16-20 feathers, which helps them maintain balance and, if necessary, they can even lean on it like a stand.

The skeleton of a penguin, unlike other birds, does not consist of hollow tubular bones; the bones of a penguin are more similar to the bones of mammals. The harsh Antarctic cold helps penguins endure a warming reserve of fat, which has a layer of 2-3 centimeters.

The plumage of penguins is thick and dense; the body of the bird is covered with feathers like tiles, which also protect them from getting wet in cold water. The color of the feathers and the penguins themselves is the same - a dark back and a white belly.

About once a year, penguins molt, old feathers fall out, and new ones grow in their place. During this period, penguins are located exclusively on land, where they try to shelter as much as possible from gusts of wind and generally cold weather.

The sizes of penguins vary depending on their species, so the largest, the emperor penguin, is 117-130 cm long and weighs up to 40 kg. The little penguin reaches only 40 cm in length and weighs on average about 1 kg.

Where do penguins live

Under natural conditions, penguins live in the southern hemisphere of our planet, preferring cold Antarctica most of all. But in addition to this icy continent, they also live in southern South America, southern Australia and New Zealand, as well as in South Africa. It is true that it is worth noting that everyone, including African penguins, settles exclusively in places where there are cold ocean currents.

How long do penguins live?

Under natural conditions, the life expectancy of a penguin is 15-25 years. In zoos, under ideal conditions, these birds can live up to 30 years.

What do penguins eat?

Penguins are omnivorous birds, so their diet includes various sea fish, crayfish, plankton, and small mollusks. Small fish or squid can also become food for the penguin. Penguins get their prey in the water, because it’s not for nothing that they are excellent swimmers. During a hunt, a penguin can make up to 900 dives; the penguin's speed in the water can reach up to 10 km per hour. During sea hunting, the beak of a penguin works on the principle of a pump; it sucks in all small prey along with water.

Penguin Enemies

In turn, penguins can become prey for other larger marine predators: sharks, killer whales, fur seals, leopard seals and sea lions. Seagulls are also natural enemies of penguins, as they often peck at their eggs. Small penguin chicks are desirable prey for skuas.

Penguin lifestyle

The most interesting feature regarding the lifestyle of these birds is the fact that matriarchy dominates penguin society. It is the female penguins who choose the males they like, care for them, seek their recognition, then the males, in turn, hatch the eggs, while the females get food. In general, the roles of gender relations in penguins are diametrically opposed to many other representatives of the animal world.

Penguins are collective creatures and do not just live in families or flocks, but form entire bird colonies that can reach up to a million individuals. And on Zavadovsky Island, located in the South Atlantic, the world's largest colony of chinstrap penguins is known; according to rough estimates, about 10 million of these birds live there.

Penguins love to be in the company of their own kind, but during the mating season for procreation, the male and female temporarily leave the company of their relatives and return back with a newborn baby, but we will write about this in more detail below.

Types of penguins, photos and names

According to the modern classification, there are 6 genera and 19 species of penguins in the world; we will describe the most interesting of them.

This representative of the penguin kingdom is the most majestic (it’s not for nothing that it has such a name) and the largest: the weight of the emperor penguin reaches 40 kg with a height of up to 115 cm. Emperor penguins live exclusively on the coast of Antarctica. (By the way, we have an interesting article on our website about them - “—eternal exiles in the ice,” follow the link).

It is very similar to its imperial relative, but is somewhat inferior in size: its height, on average, is 90-100 cm, with a weight of 10-18 kg. The color of the feathers is also different: the back is dark gray, sometimes almost black, the belly is white, as befits a penguin, and there are bright orange spots on the sides of the head. King penguins live on many islands in the South Atlantic.

These penguins are medium in size, Adélie is 65-75 cm long and weighs 6 kg. Another distinctive feature of this species is the presence of white rings around the eyes. Adélie penguins live in Antarctica and some adjacent islands (Orkney, South Scotland).

A distinctive feature of the northern crested penguin is the presence of tufts of black and yellow feathers on its head, giving the bird a more than unusual appearance. The size of this penguin is 55 cm in length and weighs up to 3 kg. It lives on a number of islands in the South Atlantic and is now, unfortunately, endangered.

In appearance, it is almost identical to other penguins, but has one interesting feature - a bunch of golden feathers flaunts above its head (hence its name). The body length and weight are slightly greater than that of the crested penguin: length - 60-70 cm, weight - 5-6 kg. It also lives in the southern Atlantic and Indian Ocean.

This penguin takes an honorable second place after the emperor in size, its length reaches 90 cm, weight - up to 9 kg. Another characteristic feature of this type of penguin is their beak, which is colored orange-red.

The Magellanic penguin, as its name suggests, lives in the Strait of Magellan in South America. The body length of the Magellanic penguin is 70-80 cm, with a weight of 5-6 kg. The coloring of these penguins is characterized by the presence of one or two black stripes around the neck.

This penguin, which lives on the coast of Antarctica and adjacent islands, in addition to its signature penguin coloring, has an additional black stripe that runs along its head. Its length is 60-70 cm and its weight is 4-5 kg.

Also known as the donkey penguin, black-footed penguin, or African penguin. Unlike its fellows living in cold Antarctic conditions, this penguin lives in South Africa, on the territory of South Africa (South African Republic), they are also found on the coasts of neighboring Namibia, but only in places where there is a cold ocean current. These penguins are also distinguished from their relatives by a narrow black horseshoe-shaped stripe located on their chest.

This type of penguin is the smallest in the penguin family, its height is no more than 40 cm, with a weight of up to 1 kg. These small penguins live on the coasts of Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania and the adjacent islands.

Penguin breeding

We touched a little on the question of how penguins reproduce in the section on their lifestyle, now we’ll talk about this in even more detail. Firstly, matriarchy prevails among penguins, and females choose males for mating, and not vice versa. Secondly, penguins are monogamous and mate for life.

Penguins reach sexual maturity after two years. So, with the onset of the mating season, young females choose a suitable male for themselves, and retire with him to mate. As a result of this, after a certain time, the female appears 1-2 eggs (in rare cases there may be three). But it is not the mother, but the father penguin who is incubating the eggs and taking care of them. At this time, the female is engaged in obtaining food, both for herself and for her “husband”, who is busy with an extremely important task.

After about 30-100 days (depending on the type of penguin), small chicks hatch from the eggs; they are at first blind, and only after several weeks do they begin to see. Despite the care and protection of their parents, approximately 60% of the chicks die from hunger, cold and attacks by birds of prey - skuas, who love to feast on penguin chicks.

Before their first molt, the little penguin chicks are exclusively on land; only with the appearance of thick, waterproof plumage can they dive into the water.

As they grow older, little penguins begin to unite in small groups, which zoologists call a kind of “kindergarten” for penguins. This association also has practical significance, since in a group it is easier for young penguins to protect themselves from predatory skuas.

Do they eat penguins?

More likely no than yes. Although penguin meat tastes good (according to the stories of some travelers), it has a stench that is very specific to the human nose. However, some peoples living on the southern islands and European polar explorers exploring Antarctica ate penguins as food. The latter did this simply so as not to die of hunger due to lack of food.

The first European who was lucky enough to see penguins with his own eyes was the great Spanish navigator Ferdinand Magellan (the same one who made the first trip around the world in history). In fact, Magellan penguins are named after him. This significant event took place back in 1520 near the island of Novaya Zemlya.
Penguins even have their own record-breaking swimmers, such as the Gentoo penguins, who can reach speeds of up to 36 km per hour in the water.
As you know, penguins are very clumsy and clumsy on land, and once they fall, they cannot get up on their own. For this reason, at some polar Antarctic stations, even such a specific profession as a “penguin lifter” has appeared, a person whose duties include helping penguins rise.