EMPEROR PENGUINS
By V.V.
DESCRIPTION
Classification
- Birds
Special Body Covering
- Have a thick layer of fat to help stay warm
- Have a layer of waterproof feathers to keep their skin warm and dry when they swim in the cold water
- Every year, they shed their old waterproof feathers and grow new ones
- Black and white patterned skin
Size
- 40 inches tall (102 cm)
- Males weight about 84 pounds (38 kg)
- Females weight about 65 pounds (29 kg)
Communication
- Locate mates, babies, and others by calling each other
- Each mating pair has a special call
- At sea, they use a loud "ah" sound to communicate
Unusual Characteristics
- They are birds that cannot fly
- Waddle very slowly
- On long journeys, they slide on their bellies to move faster, using their wings and feet to push along
FOOD CHAIN AND HABITAT
Food sources
- Eat a variety of fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods.
- Primarily eat antarctic silverfish
- Also, eat squid and krill
Where Does The Endangered Species Find Food
- Antarctic Ocean
Herbivore, Carnivore, or Omnivore
- Carnivores
Predator/What Does It Hunt
- Yes it is a predator
- It hunts its prey (krill, squids, fishes)
Location
- Antarctica - the coldest place on Earth
Terrain
- Icebergs and glaciers
Climate
- Lowest temperature -58 degrees Fahrenheit (-50 degrees Celsius) in winter
- winds up to 124 mph (200 kph)
Home
- They don't build homes
- Instead, they live on top of sea ice in the freezing, cold air
ADAPTATION
Adaptations for Protection
- Strong claws that grip on ice strongly
- Deep diving skills
- Underwater quickness
- Ability to hold their breath
Structures
- Have horny beaks with no teeth
- Short, small "quack" sounds are used to communicate when alarmed
- They camouflage with the dark ocean floor because they are black
Behaviors
- Swim up to 8 mph (13 kph)
- They do not migrate or hibernate but they do move in roogers, or packs, to find a place to mate
- They do not hunt in packs
- They find food for themselves by themselves and their chicks
- They hide or camouflage from their predator the albatross
Adaptations for Getting and Eating Food
- Catches food with its claws
- Eats it whole no mather what it is
- Feeds its chicks after biting of the head and tail of whatever it catches
REASONS FOR ENDANGERMENT
Why?
- The development of coasts, over-fishing, and pollution have affected the penguins population
- Pollution in air and industrial waste in the ocean reduces the ability of penguins to lay eggs and hatch successfully
- Some researchers estimate that tens of thousands of penguins are killed each year by oil spills
- Temperatures have increased by 4.5 degrees Fahrenheit over the last 50 years causing global warming
- Global warming is causing ice capes to melt which happens to be habitat loss for penguins
- Biologists are implanting microchips under the bird's wings to monitor their population.
- Scientists are using satellite tracking to keep number them and keep them away form danger.
How You Can Help
- Try to stop emitting so much carbon dioxide into the air by biking and walking instead of driving a car
- Save electricity to reduce global warming
Endangered Animals Foundation
- Currently as you can see, these species are on the least concerned list and soon they will die out.
- Please donate funds to conservatories so we can preserve this species because there are many threats to it but nothing happening to help them.