Evolutionists theorize that penguins could once fly. However, God created penguins as they are, so this is not the case. Penguins are very unique and captivating. This animal is just another phenomenal example of how immense and innovative God is with his work. In order to understand the significance of the penguin, one must understand the body structure, habitat, and diet of a penguin. All penguins have distinct body structures. The largest species of penguins are the Emperor penguins, which are approximately 3.7 feet tall and have a weight of 90 pounds. While the smallest species of penguins are the Little penguins, which are approximately 17 inches and have a weight of 2.2 pounds. Penguins are covered with tiny, dense feathers that help …show more content…
Penguins have extensive heads, tiny necks, elongated bodies, and short wedged-shaped tails, which help them swim. The penguin’s body is built for swimming. Its body is fusiform and streamlined. Penguins have a moderate sense of hearing for birds. The main use of hearing, by penguins, is to help parents and chicks locate each other in cramped colonies. Their eyes are suitable for underwater vision, and are their primary means of locating prey and evading predators. Scientists suggest that penguins are nearsighted, but there is no evidence or support for this theory. Penguins are able to control blood flow to their extremities, which diminishes the amount of blood that becomes cold, but keeps them from freezing. They can also drink salt water because they have a supraorbital gland, which filters out excess salt from their bloodstream. All adult penguins are counter shaded, dark on the dorsal and white on the ventral surface. They use this for camouflage against predators. When predators look up from underwater, their white bellies blend in with the skies, and when predators look down from the sky their black back blends in with the surrounding water. Approximately one …show more content…
Even though all species of penguins live in the southern Hemisphere, Galapagos penguins live in the Galapagos Islands, while Emperor penguins live in Antarctica. Penguins generally live on islands and secluded continental regions that are absent of land predator, where their inability to fly is not determined for survival. Penguins are found near cold-water currents that provide an abundant supply of food. This is significant because penguins spend most of their lives in water. These aquatic birds are accustomed to living at sea. Some species, even spend months at a time at sea. Penguins scarcely visit land. The only exception is when they raise their young. When they raise their young, they make a nest by digging shallow burrows under large rocks or bushes. Young penguins usually disperse when they leave their colonies and may wander thousands of miles. They typically return to their colony, where they were hatched, to molt and
For this evolution project, I choose to research Penguins. The classification for this animal is as follows: K Neornithes, P Palaeognathae, C Neognathae, O Pelecaniformes, F Procellariformes, G Graviidae, S Spheniscidae. The first fossil penguin that was found, is today being held in the British Museum of Natural History. It was reportedly found by an anonymous Maori in New Zealand in 1859 and was named Palaeeudyptes Antarcticus despite the fact that the species was located far away from Antarctica. Since that discovery many more fossils were found and were dated back to the Miocene era and three others from the Pliocene era. Several fossils were dated to the Late Pliocene era and others from the Recent era. The earliest avian fossil found in the southern hemisphere is said to have existed in the Eocene age about 38-54 million years ago. There is evidence that at least three of the modern penguins (Aptenodytes, Spheniscus and Pygoscelis) went extinct within the last 4-5 million years. The remainder of the penguins are from 5-40 million years ago, dating back to the time currently recorded, when penguins evolved from other modern birds. Research suggests that the tallest of these penguins were about 6 feet tall. Penguins did originate from an ancestor that flew some 40 million years ago. The common ancestor is assumed to have been somewhat similar to a modern-day diving petrel or auk in appearance and behavior.
Puffins live at sea while not mating or raising young. They glide across the water, swim on the surface of the ocean, and dive to depths of nearly 200 feet to get their food. Puffins commonly spend their entire winter at sea. Young puffins will spend two to three years out at sea before returning to land to mate.
the Black Falcon is a bird of prey. Their body is brown to black, and their throat is pale colored. They will have a blueish-white bill and feet. Their legs are short and heavily feathered. They will be 45 to 60cm long and have a 95 to 115cm wingspan. The will weigh 582 to 750g. They will glide through the air with their wings hanging down very slightly.
Thanks to evolution, Penguins have evolved into a group of aquatic, fightless birds, that are highly adapted to life in the ocean. This not only makes them one of the divergent and strange species of birds, but also has allowed them to become such a sucessful species. Penguins are mostly located in the Southern hemisphere ranging anywhere from the Galapogos to the Antartic. Throughout their lives, Penguins spend around half their time in the ocean doing things such as catching food and the other half on land raising their young. Their distinct tuxedo-like apperience called countershading camoflages their bodies, protecting them from predators above and below. Through out the “stepping stones”, the penguins grew to have a dense bone containing
Nico de Bruyn, P. J., Tosh, C. A., & Bester, M. N. (2008, July). Sexual harassment of a king penguin by an Antarctic fur seal. Journal of Ethology, 26(2), 295-297. doi: 10.1007/s10164-007-0073-9
The relatively small surface area in comparison to its volume results in excellent heat conservation. Many penguins, in addition have a think insulating layer of fat under the skin. Their closely aligned veinlarteries enable them to recycle their own body temperature. The emperor penguins, weight about 27-32 kg are the best equipped of all.
Do you know what it's like to be a penguin in an oil spill? In both stories it tells how penguins are going threw an oil spill and they have to be taken from their home and treated. Penguins in Africa and Penguins in Phillip island have many similarities and differences such as oil spills and sweaters . Penguins in Africa and Phillips island have many similarities such as they're both going threw a harsh oil spill that is affecting their home and there health.
The habitat of the South Pole is far too harsh for most organisms to survive. Only in some of the milder areas are some plant life present such as lichen and moss. Penguins are mostly found in the southern hemisphere of the earth, mostly in
The guppies in safer waters emerged with larger spots of colors and they tried to differ themselves from the gravel and the guppies in dangerous waters became smaller and showed less color and blended to the gravel.
Population Status: Emperor penguins have near been threatened but have had some troubles of the years. WIth an estimate of 600,000 Emperor Penguins.
These animals can’t function in the shallows of the ocean, so they retreat to the depths. The twilight zone is 660 to 3030 feet deep which means, “The only light that reaches where these fish are is a blue greenish color which gets absorbed by plant, so most of the light they give off is red” (Haddock). This scientist is describing the world of color or lack of that these special creatures face. The light in this zone is usually red due to the fact that there is not a lot of light the plants absorb the blue and green and animal life then give off a red light. These creatures use thi...
Most scientists agree that there are seventeen species of penguins, with a select few recognizing eighteen instead. (del Hoyo, 1992). See Chart A The largest penguin is the Emperor Penguin, standing four feet tall and one hundred pounds. The smallest is the aptly named Litt... ...
larger and heavier than the males. An average female (called a falcon) weighs a little over
The polar bear is one the largest members of the bear family. Males Polar Bears stand from eight to 11 feet tall and generally weigh from 500 to 1,000 pounds, but can weigh as much as 1,400 pounds. Female bears generally stand eight feet tall and weigh 400 to 600 pounds, except some, which can reach 700 pounds. The reason the polar bear weighs so much is that is stores about a four-inch layer of fat to keep it warm.