Moments with Yaya
Penguin
Yaya finds Penguins extraordinarily fascinating. Mr Penguin, you look like you are wearing a fancy suit! Why do you waddle around like that? Where are your arms? You really are a funny and fascinating little creature.
Penguins are birds, however, they do not fly. They waddle around on their little webbed feet, and spend over 75% of their lives in the water. Penguins are shaped like a little bullet, giving them the ability to swim fast in the water, to find some delicious fish to feed on. Although they cannot breathe under water like a fish can, they can hold their breath for long periods of time, and shoot out the water as a tremendous speed to get another breath. Penguins originate from colder areas of the world, and have a thick layer of fat called blubber under their skin which keeps them warm in icy conditions. They also huddle together in groups using their body temperatures to keep each other warm in very cold temperatures.
LEARN ABOUT PENGUINS
Penguins live on seafood! They love fish and also enjoy small shrimp and squid. Their bills are slightly hooked at the tip to allow them to quickly grab their meals in the water. We all know how disgusting salt water tastes, however, penguins do drink it. They have a gland on their body which actually filters the salt from the water.
Penguins, like other birds, lay eggs. They can lay up to two eggs at a time and the mommy penguin sits on the eggs to keep them warm. When the baby penguins hatch, they are fluffy and light in colour. The baby penguins are all left together in a group and looked after by a nanny penguin while its mom and dad go out looking for food. So penguins also go to a day care just like human children!
In the wild, penguins need to be aware of predators like seals and whales, who love to eat penguins. They also need to be cautious of snakes, cats and foxes on land that would love to grab a baby penguin as a meal. There are a number of penguin species including Adeline Penguins, African Penguins, Chinstrap Penguins, Emperor Penguins, Galapagos Penguins, Gentoo Penguins, King Penguins, Macaroni Penguins, Magellanic Penguins, Rockhopper Penguins and Yellow-Eyed Penguins.
Penguins can be seen and admired in reserves where they are kept safe and rehabilitated. There are also a number of zoos and sanctuaries where these beautiful creatures can be seen in their natural habitats.
