The Life of a Penguin

            I have always been interested in penguins; those adorable, tuxedo wearing, belly sliding birds. I was given my prized penguin doll that I took everywhere with me. I received penguin piggybanks, penguin stuffed animals, penguin statues, and anything else penguin that my family could find. Although the specific penguin species of these trinkets are unknown to me, each one made me love penguins more. Every time I was assigned to write an essay about my favorite animal, it was the penguin. When March of the Penguins came out in 2005 my grandma made a point in taking me when I came to visit. This documentary was about exactly as the name says, the march or migration that emperor penguins take every year. .
             There are about 17 different species of penguin in the world all of which live in the southern part of the globe. They are not just found in Antarctica, where the majority of species are from, but penguins can be found in Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, Chile, and South Africa. Penguins do not fly but rather use their wings as flippers to swim through the water. They do not travel far off the coast but must be near large bodies of water to hunt for their food: krill, squid and fish. .
             The largest of all the penguin species is the Emperor penguin standing almost 4 feet tall and weighing 70 to 90 pounds. The Emperor penguin is known to live 15-20 years in the wild. They breed during the Antarctic winter, June-August, during which the temperature can drop to -76°F. In May or June one egg is hatched and transferred to the male to protect on top of his feet and under his pouch. One of the main causes of unsuccessful egg hatching is due to the egg not being insulated properly or being on the ice too long. While the father incubates the egg, the mother leaves to feed and returns when the egg is hatched. But before any of this can happen, the penguins will take their long journey inland. .
             All penguins in the group travel 56 miles away from the water to be nearer to sturdy ice that has less of a chance to break under the new chicks.