Fun Fact 2: Penguins live in many places across the globe including Antarctica, Coast of South America, South Africa, Galapagos, Southern Australia and New Zealand
Fun Fact 3: Experts differ on the correct number of species, some believe there are 17 different types and others suggest that there are 18 different species of penguins
Fun Fact 4: Species (types) of penguins include; Adelie, African, Chinstrap, Emperor, Galapagos, Humboldt, King, Macaroni, Rockhopper, Yellow-eyed, Banded and Crested Penguins
Fun Fact 5: It is estimated that Worldwide there are over 100 million penguins!
Fun Fact 6: The largest is the Emperor Penguin, an adult can grow to approximately 1.1 m (3 ft 7 in) tall and weigh about 35 kg (75 lb)
Fun Fact 7: The smallest is the Little Blue Penguin, also known as the Fairy Penguin, an adult can grow to approximately 40 cm tall (16 in) and weighs 1 kg (2.2 lb)
Fun Fact 8: The fastest are the Gentoo penguins; their underwater water swimming speed can reach 36 km/h. The Gentoo Penguin is closely related to the Adelie penguin and the Chinstrap penguin
Fun Fact 9: The rarest and most endangered species are the Galapagos Penguins they have an estimated population of 1,500 worldwide
Fun Fact 10: Penguins are kept warm by dense, waterproof feathers and a thick layer of fat beneath the skin that insulates against the cold weather
Fun Fact 11: Penguins can drink salt water! The have a special gland (lateral nasal gland) which removes surplus salt from the bloodstream
Fun Fact 12: Penguins have black wings, black backs and white chests, this camouflages them when they are swimming underwater, making them more difficult to be seen by predators
Fun Fact 13: Most penguins have a swimming speed of approximately 15mph
Fun Fact 14: Large penguins will lay one egg whilst smaller species commonly lay two eggs in a clutch (season). The eggs are proportionally smaller than all other bird species
Fun Fact 15: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is the world authority on the conservation status of endangered species. The IUCN classify many species as endangered and threatened species. The most at risk, with less than 1000 breeding couple in the world is the Galapagos penguin. Penguins that are threatened include the emperor penguin and the Adelie penguin - these species live in the Antarctic and global warming is contributing to their demise in numbers. Global warming, loss of habitat, commercial fishing and oil pollution are primary reasons for the decline of the penguin population. Click the link for more information about Endangered Animals |
