The Emporer Penguin
Did you ever wonder how emperor penguins could swim in the water so long? That's because they have a layer of fat under their skin to keep them warm. To find out more things you've always wondered about emperor penguins, read on. The emperor penguin, scientifically called Aptenodytes forsteri, is the largest of all living penguins. It is about 3.7 feet high and weighs from 60-90 pounds. A large head, short neck, and slender body make up this birds structure. It stands upright when it is on land because its webbed feet are set far back on the body. It also has a tail that is short and has 14 to 18 stiff feathers. The backs of these creatures are bluish-gray, instead of being black like other penguins. The only other living penguin that shares this trait is the king penguin. Shiny, short and broad feathers overlap each other to cover the penguins' skin. These feathers, closely spaced, keep the water away from the birds' skin when it is swimming in the cold sea. Emperor penguins have more feathe
This usually happens after breeding season. When on land, the penguin feeds through seal holes or other openings in the ice. The mother lays the egg them immediately passes the egg over to the father, then heads out to sea to feed and bathe. During the molt, the penguin loses most of its insulating and waterproofing capabilities, so it cannot go in the water. But before the molt, the emperor builds up a thick layer of fat, which provides the bird with energy to move around throughout the molt. Of course, when something lives, it has a predator, unless it's at the top of the food chain. To get this food, the penguin must go in the water and get them. Because the penguin cannot go in the water, it can't get its food. 5 million penguins were killed in a 16-year time span. The father has to sit on the egg for about 60 days. He doesn't get to swim, feed, or even walk around! During the incubation procedure, the male can lose up to one-third to half of its body weight! The baby penguin is called a creche. On land, feral dogs and cats, are their predators. When hunting, the penguin relies mostly on its sense of sight. The extraction of oil from penguins was important in the late 1800's and early 1900's.
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