Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Penguin Day

World Penguin Day
  (Why?) 
Because the 25th of April
 marks the day 
when the Adelie penguins,
start their migration. 
(Fair enough.) 



 They move north to escape
the wintery conditions
 of Antarctica. 
They only travel
about 600 kilometres,
but they do head
 north for the winter!
The little Adelies can’t
 see too well in the dark,
so they need the extra
 slithers of light
 from the Northern parts
of Antarctica to help them
find food. 
Something cool about
the cheeky little Adelie...
They make a nest
for their egg from rocks. 
 Often, they will steal rocks
 from other penguins
instead of finding their own! 


Even cooler...
Adelie penguins get their water
 by eating snow...
(“So what?” I hear you say.)
  Well...
there is a gland
in their nose that removes
the salt from the sea water
 that is swallowed
while they are trying
to catch fish in the water...
 A desalinisation plant,
 if you will. 


 How could you not
love Adelie penguins
after hearing that! 
 Happy Penguin Day!
Photos from here,
here, here and here.


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