Well, let’s see. When did the “obsession” start? I think it was sometime late in high school. And I believe it had something to do with a nature show. Or maybe it was during college? Gosh, I can’t really remember a defining moment, I just sort of started to appreciate penguins, I guess. I know that’s not very interesting. But if you have ever watched a nature show on penguins, you’d probably agree that they are quite the extraordinary bird. Picture if you will, a thousand Emperor penguins, each 3 feet high, huddled together in the farthest reaches of Antarctica. It is -94°F (-70°C) and the winds are ferocious. The penguins stand chest to chest, back to back, effectively “spooning” each other to stay warm. The penguins on the outside of the huddle brace themselves for a little while and take the brunt of the winds. But not for long, because these birds do not allow each other to suffer, they take turns. Some birds from the middle make their way out to the edges and give relief to the coldest ones. The cycle continues all day and all night.
How cool is that??
Other neat penguin facts:
-Many penguin species are monogamous. They mate with the same partner year after year. Widowed penguins have been observed “mourning” the loss of their partner.
-The male Emperor penguin does most of the child-rearing for the first few months of a baby penguin’s life. The mother goes out and gorges herself at sea after the eggs are laid, and returns home to give dad some relief.
-The Emperor penguin’s parental instincts are so strong that if a baby dies, its parents will try to “adopt” other stray babies in the area.
If that’s not enough…
Read an amusing account about South African penguins by Van the Penguin Man.
Ok, are you in love yet?
