One of my nieces asked me why I did not have any penguin photos on my website. I told her I would put one up for her. When I found this photo I was awestruck by its beauty. It shows a parent feeding and caring for its chick. In so many ways, animals and penguins are like us. They nourish and protect their offspring, seek shelter from inclement weather, and experience a wide range of emotions.
Just like humans, animals experience fear, pain, desire, hunger, panic, embarrassment, and other emotions. If you have a cat or a dog, I am sure you have witnessed times when your pet felt happy or sad. And you have probably seen your pet curiously look around for the ball which was rolling around on the floor or for the piece of string hanging from your curtains. A penguin will not do those things but will surely let her mate know if their chick is not doing well.
Did you know there are about seventeen to twenty different kinds of penguins? Some, like the emperor penguins in the photo, are almost 4 feet tall and weigh 77 pounds or more. Others, such as the little blue penguin, are much smaller and stand 16 inches tall and weigh only 2.2 pounds.
Penguins eat fish, krill, crabs, squid and other seafood they catch while swimming. And to compensate for all of the salt water they swallow, they have a supraorbital gland just above their eye. This gland filters the salt from the bloodstream and out through the bill. Wouldn’t it be neat if we could do the same?
Sadly, climate change is affecting penguins. Krill stocks are declining because of warming waters. As the ice retreats and krill populations fall, penguins have to spend a lot of energy to find food. This makes it harder for them to raise their young and breed.
Parents, worldwide, strive to protect and provide for the well-being of their children. We provide shelter and food, and a nourishing environment. Penguins do the same for their offspring. Yet, they need our help. We must make sure to protect the ocean waters from debris, chemical spills, exploitation and degradation. Our choices affect them. Remember, penguins have feelings too.