You penguins they are seabirds what don't fly and which can be found in the Antarctica, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and South America. good hunters, the penguins they feed on crustaceans, molluscs, fish and small marine animals. All species have a white chest with a black back and head. in the paws of penguins, we can find four fingers joined by a membrane, which helps a lot during the animal's swimming. Because they are birds, these animals have feathers, but they are shorter and occur in greater numbers than in other birds. These animals move their feathers twice a year, and during this moult they do not enter the water.
Penguins' feet have webs between the toes that help during swimming.
All the penguins they have a smooth, dense and greasy plumage, so that their body is waterproof. Under the skin, these animals have a thick layer of fat that serves as a thermal insulator, preventing the animal from losing heat to the environment. They can measure from 40 cm to 1 meter and weigh from 3 to 35 kg, and can live for 30 to 35 years.
You penguins they are extremely tame animals and only attack when any animal approaches their eggs or offspring. In addition to being soft, the penguins they are faithful animals and only change partners when there are reproduction problems.
Fidelity is a hallmark among penguins
When the female of a Penguin lays an egg, it takes about 5 to 6 weeks to hatch. During this period, males and females take turns searching for food, so the egg is never alone. After the baby is born, it feeds on food already digested by its parents and is always protected from attack by seagulls and others. penguins. Only when the puppy gets the size of the parent and exchanges the downs for feathers, the parents teach them to swim and let it look for food on its own. From then on, the puppy no longer has the help of his parents and must fend for himself.
The baby penguin receives parental care until it acquires feathers
You penguins they are excellent swimmers. Swimming with the help of their wings and feet, they can reach speeds of up to 40km/h in water. They spend most of their lives in the water, where they always swim in flocks with hundreds of penguins and they can perform all their vital functions, even sleep.
When drinking sea water, the body of penguins absorbs excess salt. But that's not a problem for them, because all seabirds have a gland called salt gland which is located close to the eyes and which removes the excess salt absorbed by them.
The penguin spends most of its life in water
In some brazilian beaches we can see penguins during the winter. Those penguins they are usually young people who, in search of food, have strayed from the band and were taken by the sea currents to the beach. Most of the time these animals arrive at the beach very debilitated and very hungry.
O Penguin that usually reaches Brazilian beaches is the magellanic penguin, who live in regions where the temperature varies between 7°C and 30°C. So if you find one Penguin on the beach, do not place it in ice containers as this can reduce the animal's body temperature, leading to death. In these cases, keep the animal in a dry and warm place, until the arrival of a biologist or veterinarian.
By Paula Louredo
Graduated in Biology
