January 20 is Penguin Awareness Day. The day helps raise awareness about the flightless birds whose numbers are dwindling by the day.
The day also aims to bring international focus on the conservation of penguin habitats.
Southern Hemisphere Natives
Penguins are aquatic birds native to the Southern Hemisphere. There are about 20 known species of penguins, the largest of which are the emperor penguins, the lead stars of the documentary, March of the Penguins. The smallest known penguin species are the little penguin found in the coastal areas of Australia and New Zealand.
It is thought that the black and white coloring of the penguins is a camouflage which helps them to hide from underwater predators. While penguins are great at diving and swimming, they cannot fly even though they are considered to be part of the bird family. They use their wings as flippers to move quickly underwater.
How to Celebrate?
Learn more about these majestic birds and their habitat and try to understand how human activity may be affecting them.
If your local zoo has penguins, why not take a trip there to spend some time observing them?
Watch movies with penguin characters and documentaries about the lives and habitats of penguins.
Did You Know…
…that the fastest penguins – the Gentoo – can swim at the speed of 22 miles or 35 kilometers an hour?