15 Shocking Penguin Facts You Should Know

Penguins are mysterious creatures who defile the characteristics of their class. They are birds that don’t have wings and live in the most hostile regions of the planet. Ever since Madagascar and Surf’s Up came to screens, interest in these animals has only skyrocketed, and with their rise in popularity came many questions about their existence.

Today, we will go through 15 shocking penguin facts that would shake or even shatter your view on these animals. Some secrets we will dive into would be downright scary and even disgusting. So, get your flaps ready, and let’s dive into the ocean of fantastic fun facts.

Taxonomy and Flash Facts

Name Origin: The word Penguin has been disputed by many scientists. Some dictionaries attribute its structure to the Welsh words Pen, meaning head, and Gwyn, meaning white.
Habitat: Land and Sea.
Predominant Regions: Southern Hemisphere.
Endangered Status: Endangered.

They Fly Underwater

Penguins’ unique habitats made them evolve to be better at getting food and surviving harsh weather conditions. However, their evolution also had a downside, as it cost them their flying ability. Yes, they could fly millions of years ago.

As these animals continued hunting for fish underwater, they started to gain a new ability, underwater flight; this led to them becoming incredible sea birds. Penguins fly underwater using their chest muscles to push their flippers downwards and their shoulder muscles to push their flipper upwards.

They Are Nearly Functionally Perfection

Flying underwater or in the air is an energy-intensive task that requires incredible streamlining to prevent drag. Most birds have well-designed bodies that aid them in moving through the air. 

The same goes for penguins, as they are among the most streamlined animals on the planet. Their bodies are tapered at both ends to aid easy movement through water.

Smallest Penguin

What is the smallest penguin in the world? That title goes to the Blue Penguin, also called Korora in Maori, the Fairy, and Little Penguin. These animals are a measly 30 cm tall as adults and live for about 8 to 10 years. They also take the crown for the slowest swimmer among their peers as they move at about 2.5 kilometers per hour (1.6 miles per hour).

Largest Of The Bunch

If the first name that pops into your mind when you think about massive penguins is Big Z from Surf’s Up, then you are on to something. 

Emperor Penguins are the largest on the planet. They are as tall as adult humans, coming in between 1.1 to 1.3 meters and weighing about 40 kilograms. Their weight varies as they lose fat during periods of low food supply. Besides being the biggest, they have incredible diving skills.

They Had Massive Ancestors

With the size of the Emperor Penguin, it should not surprise anyone they came from massive creatures. From fossils about 45 million years old, scientists uncovered that earlier ancestors of these animals were nearly 6 feet tall. Imagine one taller than you. That would sure be in a new Jurassic Park film.

They Are Birds With Weird Bones

One primary feature of birds is hollow bones that make them lighter for flight. However, penguins are one of only three birds without this feature. 

Because they evolved to hunt for food underwater, penguins developed solid bones to reduce their buoyancy in water. They also have solid bones to prevent Barotrauma, an injury from excessive pressure underwater.

Sir Nils Olav III

Many animals rose to fame, including Crystal the Monkey and Albert II. One penguin who gained notoriety for becoming the highest-ranked of its peers is Sir Nils Olav III. He holds the rank of Major General and Baron of the Bouvet Islands. One hundred and sixty uniformed guards attended Olav’s honor award ceremony.

Fastest Of the Bunch

By now, you know the slowest is the Korora. However, what is the fastest penguin? That title goes to the Gentoo Penguin; these animals can move at an impressive 35 kilometers per hour (22 miles per hour).

Imagine if you could swim at this speed. We bet you’d use that for a good cause.

Male Emperor Penguins and Incubation

For many animals, taking care of the young, including incubation and feeding, is attributed to the females. However, things are different for the emperors. 

When a female lays an egg, the male takes on the responsibility of incubation while the female returns to the sea to feed. Once the egg hatches, the parents take turns caring for the baby.

Salt Filter Glands

Most penguins live near the ocean, a salty body of water. Without access to fresh water, these animals would die, won’t they? Wrong! They survive even after drinking salt water. They can do this because they have a supraorbital gland, a lateral nasal gland that removes sodium chloride from the bloodstream.

Diving Skills

To be excellent at hunting fish, an animal has to be good at diving because fish live underwater. Meet Emperor Penguins; these animals are excellent divers and can hold their breath for about six minutes underwater. In some exceptional cases, some seize their breath for up to 22 minutes. Emperor Penguins set the world dive record among their peers by reaching a depth of 534 meters (1,751 feet).

Some Are Necrophilic

Most people have a beautiful view of penguins. They look cute and have been the faces of many cartoons and shows. However, some of these animals partake in deviant actions that are downright disgusting.

When the Terra Nova expedition of the South Pole by Captain Robert Falcon Scott arrived in Antarctica, biologist Dr. George Murray Levick recorded many details about the Adélie Penguin that lived on the frigid continent. He started making downright disturbing observations of the animals he studied.

In Levick’s notes, ”The Natural History of the Adelie Penguin,” which were deemed too brutal to be published, he stated the animals were involved in many acts of depravity, including sexual coercion of females, sexual abuse of chicks, and necrophilia.

They Can Be Gay

Another discovery made by Levick’s expedition was that penguins can be gay. He observed some of the animals pairing together even when they were of the same sex. Recently, many zoos have observed a similar occurrence.

Scary Tongue

If you see an image of a penguin’s mouth, its scary-looking spiky tongue stands out; these spikes are not sharp pins. They are bristles made of keratin, which also form nails and hair; these creatures have keratin tongues to grip slippery fish while hunting.

Do They Have Knees?

Penguins having knees is a question that seems to boggle many people. Well, here is the answer: they have knees. Their legs are the same as humans, as they have a femur, tibia, and fibula.

Conclusion

We hope you have enjoyed our 15 exciting fun facts today. To learn more about other animals, here are 10 Monkey Facts. Don’t forget to share and leave us a comment telling us what you think. You can also search our Facts Database.