10 Interesting Facts about Penguins

The Penguins are one of the best known and adored birds in the world.  The pictures of these birds are shown extensively in TV adverts, cartoons, animation and so on to bring value to their brands.  You would have certainly seen amazing videos of these birds in action on Hollywood movies like Batman.They have the uncanny ability to gel well with their surroundings.Below are certain fun facts about Penguins which you might not have realised until now:

1.Only found in Southern Hemisphere: Yes, you heard it right as the Penguin species (all 17 ones) are found only in the Southern Hemisphere due to some unknown reason.

2.Tallest Penguin-The Emperor: The tallest penguin, the Emperor is 4 feet tall whereas the smallest one, the Blue Penguin is 16 inches in height.

3.Gentoo Penguin-The Fastest:   The fastest Penguin species is the Gentoo Penguin that has a swimming speed up to 22 mph.

4. Earliest Penguin ancestor 60 million years before: The earliest ancestor of the Penguins is heard to have lived around 60 million years ago which would mean they had survived the dinosaur era extinction.

5. Penguins molt the feathers at once: Unlike the other birds, penguins shed and replace their feathers all at once while spending their time on seashores for two to three weeks for the process also referred to as catastrophic molt.

6. Special gland to filter saltwater:  Since the Penguins spend most of the time under sea water, one would naturally be curious about how these creatures guard themselves from the harmful effects of saltwater. Interestingly, the bird has a gland called supraorbital gland right at the back of their eyes that filters salt water from its bloodstream.

7. Breed in large colonies: It should be known  that two species of Penguins breed in colonies of huge sizes like up to a thousand ones of their kind.

8. Loyal to their exact nesting site: It is a noteworthy fact that the most penguins are attached to the exact nesting sites in which they were born.

9. They are accomplished swimmers: With their streamlined bodies and powerful flippers, the Penguins could swim remarkably fast.

10. Eyes work better under water than in Land: It might surprise you that the eyes of Penguins work better underwater than in land making it easier for them to catch their prey quicker.

These are some of the important facts about Penguins which we should use as an aid to spread awareness about their importance in the ecosystem for the generations to come.