Pop Quiz on PENGUINS
According to a reliable source (a cap from a bottle of iced-tea) “the only bird that can swim but can’t fly is the penguin.” Given all the attention that penguins have been getting at the movies lately (as of December 2006), we thought it would be fun to test your knowledge of penguins. We’ve found all of our answers online.
How fast can a penguin “fly” underwater?
A) 5 MPH
B) 15 MPH
C) 35 MPH
Find out at http://www.gma.org/surfing/antarctica/penguin.html. When underwater, emperor penguins are really fast, up to 15 miles per hour. Depth and duratoin of a dive vary from place to place and availability of surface food.
How many species of penguins are there?
A) 1
B) 6
C) 17
Visit http://www.mbayaq.org/efc/efc_splash/splash_about.asp, and you’ll learn that there are currently 17 species of penguins. They range in sze from the small two-poud (1kg), 16-inch (41cm) little Blue Penguin to the large 84-pound (38kg), 51-inch (130cm) Emperor Penguin. they’ve adapted to environments as different as Antarctic ice fields and the tropical Galapagos Islands. Yet, all penguins share their ancestors’ trait: they’re at home in the ocean.
How long can a typical penguin live?
A) 5 years
B) 15 years
C) 30 years
D) 75 years
Find out at http://www.swbg-adventurecamps.com/infobooks/Penguins/home.html. The average lifespan of a penguin is probably 15 to 20 years. Some individuals live considerably longer, but winter starvation may claim the lives of 50%of the chicks.
TRUE OR FALSE: Is there such a thing as a Macaroni Penguin?
True. See http://www.siec.k12.in.us/~west/proj/penguins/mac.html. The Macaroni Penguin was named by early English exploreres for its yellow crest feathers which resembled those worn in the hats of young 18th century men called “macaronis”, a label later immortalized in the words of the Revolutionary War song Yankee Doodle.
How deep can a penguin dive? How long can they stay underwater?
A) 20 feet, for 45 minutes
B) 1,000 feet, for 25 minutes
C) 1 mile deep, for 60 minutes
Find out at http://www.antarcticconnection.com/antarctic/wildlife/penguins/index.shtml. Some species can reach depths of 1,000 feet of more and stay submerged for up to 25 minutes, though most prefer shorter, shallower dives.
What does a penguin sound like?
You can listen to a variety of animal noises, including penguins, at Sea World’s web site http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/sound-library/quiz/audio/soundfive.aiff.
Join an online penguin community.
Visit http://www.clubpenguin.com. Warning: the games can be addictive, andwhile the content is free, you may feel some presure to subscribe.
See a penguin migration.
Watch the trailer to the March Of The Penguins documentary at http://www.nationalgeographic.com/marchofthepenguins.
