Penguins - Here is what I learnt

There are seventeen different kinds of penguins.

They are: Emperor penguin, Macaroni penguin, king penguin, gentoo penguin, chinstrap penguin, Gurapagos penguin, Little blue penguin, Rockhopper penguin, Magellanic penguin, yellow eyed penguin, African penguin, Adelie penguin.

Penguins come from Antartica, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and South America. Penguins are birds but they los their ability to fly. Penguins can swim faster than 25 miles and 50 kilometers. Some penguins are eaten by killer whales, sharks, sealions, leopard seals and fur seals. Penguins can leap up as much as six feet which is 1.8 meters.

Penguins come together once a year. Mother penguins stay with their eggs. Mother penguins only lay one egg. Mother penguins have food in their belly. Both parents take turns feeding and keeping the chicks warm.

Penguins can be in danger. Penguins were hunted for their skin, their fat and boiled down to make oil. People work together to help penguins survive in our modern world. People watch the penguins swim. Some penguins can go and find their own food.

After about 65 days the egg hatches. Male penguins are free to swim out to the sea and feed. While courting, they chase each other. Somestimes they hold their wings away from their bodies and hold their beaks up high. Usually the same pair mates and raises its young together.

It is time to build their nests. Some penguins make their nests in burrows or rocky crevices. Others build nests in the open using sticks and grasses. Some arrange small stones in a circle. The two biggest penguins, the emperor and the king penguin don't build nests.

After about 65 days, the egg hatches. The female returns around this time. It is time. It is her turn to care for the chick. She tucks in under her brood pouch to keep it warm then the male emperor penguin is free to swim out to sea to feed. All penguins are raised in similar ways. when the chicks are three to ten months old they begin to lose their gray down and grow feathers. Now they are called fledglings. Off they go to live on thier own. They learn to hunt and survive without the help of the parents. In about four years they will return to raise their own young. At one time the number of penguins was declining. Eggs were harvested and penguins were hunted for their skins. Their fat was boiled down to make oil. Now there are laws to help protect them. People work together to help penguins survive in our modern world. Some areas have been named penguin sanctuaries.

Penguins can be found in the zoo and aquariums. People working there care for the penguins in a clean, safe environment. It is fun to watch penguins play.

By Leslie