How A Penguin Survives In Its Environment

How A Penguin Survives In Its Environment

When you think of penguins you probably think of cute cuddly little balls of fur.
Even though on some occasions that may be true, there's a lot more you need to know
. Like how they adapted to the harsh environment they live in.

Penguins are a group of aquatic sea birds. They live mostly in the southern
hemisphere. They also have special types of lungs that make them be able to drink
seawater. Like all other birds, penguins have feathers. Penguin feathers are short and
overlap themselves to keep the penguin warm. They are also densely packed. The
outer feathers are waterproof and the inner feathers keep an insulating layer of air,
keeping the penguin warm in the freezing water when it goes to catch food.

Over millions of years, penguins have adapted to harsh environments that sometimes
change because of climate. Scientists say that most reasons penguins are still around
are migration. When a penguin migrates they go in flocks. The main reason is usually
for nesting, or to go to places that preach their survival needs. Over summer ice will
melt and it may get too hot for the penguins. This is why they migrate, but when
winter comes they will eventually return back. 

To retrieve food a mother and a father penguin will take turns getting food from the
ocean. While the other looks after the chick back on land. When the mother/father is
back from getting the food she/he will feed it to the chick. As well as feeding
themselves, then they will switch over. And the whole process will restart. Penguins
have large throats which makes them able to hold enough food for themselves and
their chick. A penguin's mouth is lined with stiff spines that point backward. That
makes it harder for squid or other fish to escape.

Penguins are a protected species but they are in danger because of many things.
They are hunted for their oil, skin, and feathers which is one of the most common
ways for a penguin to die. Another reason they are endangered is because of habitat
loss. A lot of lands is lost every year as human society grows. Most cities are being
overfilled with people, and they are fixing that problem by taking away animal
habitats. 

In conclusion, penguins are very intelligent amphibians. And have gone through a
lot to get to where we are today. They have managed to survive 50 billion years of
climate change and other dangers. But are still endangered today by overfishing and
being used as bait. 

By Eva