Research Paper about Penguins

With their black and white body, orange beaks, short neck, large head, short tail,  penguins are very unique and interesting animals. One fascinating fact that you might not know about penguins is that they are birds that can’t fly, but they are really excellent swimmers. If you want to learn more about penguin species, what they eat, where they live, and baby penguins, then you should keep reading. 

First of all, there are 18 different species of penguins. To follow up, the smallest penguin is known as the Blue Penguin or Fairy Penguin and grows up to 12-14 inches and weighs 3.3 lbs as an adult. The largest penguin is named the Emperor Penguin which stands at about 48 inches tall and is about 51 lbs as an adult. The Blue Penguin can live up to 6 years while the Emperor Penguin can live up to 20 years. The most common penguin known as the macaroni penguin is about 28 inches tall, weighs around 10 lbs, and can live up to 15 years. Some other species of penguins include the Galapagos penguin, the Royal penguin, the Gentoo penguin, the King penguin, the African penguin, and many more. The height, weight, and lifespan of a penguin can vary over every species. Overall, there are lots of interesting and unique species of penguins. 

Secondly, penguins are carnivores, which means that they only eat meat. Their diet usually consists of fish, krill, shrimp, crab, and squid. Depending on the species, their diet can vary. Hunting and gathering food can be difficult, but their black and white body helps them camouflage with their background. Penguins spend most of their time in water and have to be very careful because of all of the predators. In the water, some predators of penguins include the leopard seal and killer whale. On land, penguins usually have no natural predators, but eggs and chicks can be targets for other creatures. The white part of their body is located at the bottom so that creatures underneath them in the water, they can’t see anything because of the light. Also, the dark part of their body helps them to camouflage from predators above them. To conclude, penguins mostly eat seafood and their body greatly helps them. 

Some people believe that penguins are only found in places with a cold environment, but that’s not true. Most penguins are found in Antarctica, but penguins can really be found anywhere in the Southern Hemisphere. These places include the Antarctica islands or around the coast. They can also live in parts of Africa and South America. For example, the tropical Galapagos Islands are inhabited by the Galapagos Penguin. Penguins usually live on islands or remote places where there are less predators and penguins can be safer. As you know, there are different species of penguins and they live in different places depending on what they need and what they can sustain. 

Lastly, nesting and breeding can differ from species to species. Like most other birds, penguins live in flocks, while one difference is that they also nest in flocks. When they do this, it is called rookeries and the gathering can consist of different species and thousands of these black and white birds. Furthermore, baby penguins are called chicks. An egg hatches about 65-75 days after a female penguin lays the egg. Chicks are born with beaks, wings, and feathers just like most other birds. To recognize each other, the chick and its parents have a distinctive call. Each parent takes turns going to hunt for food, while the other parent takes care of the chick. Now, the next part might seem a bit weird, but every animal has a unique way of taking care of its baby. For about three months, the parents will chew and digest the food that they had hunted and killed. Then, the parents will throw it up into the chick’s mouth using the beak as a spoon. In summary, penguins have a very special way of taking care of their chick. 

As you can see, penguins can be unique and fantisticating animals. There are many different types of penguins, many different diets, many different habitats, and many ways that they might care for their baby. Penguins are amazing creatures and can survive through anything, whether it’s the icy cold weather in Antarctica or finding something to eat in the most deserted or remote places throughout the world.