Penguins are one of the most well-known animals in the world. This is little funny bird. They are birds because they lay eggs, have feathers, and are warm-blooded animals. Most birds fly, but penguins do not fly. They use their flippers for swimming. Penguins are found in many different habitats, or places. They live from the frozen land of Antarctica to the sandy beaches of Africa. They live from the rocky coasts of South America to the coasts of New Zealand. Penguins have adapted to more habitats and climates than any other animal in the world. Penguins have long, flat flippers that help them swim and dive for fish, squid, and krill. They have very short legs that are set far back on their lower body. They stand upright and waddle when they walk.
Penguins are amazing swimmers. When penguins float they use their flippers to paddle through the water. When they dive and swim they use their flippers to fly through the water. They use their flippers for swimming like other birds use their wings for flying. Most penguins can
dive very deep and can hold their breath for many minutes. They have large round eyes that help them to see in the dark water. Penguins can swim up to hundreds of miles in search of food. Penguins move over land by walking, jumping and sliding. Penguins that live on the ice can slide or go tobogganing on their bellies down hills and slopes. They lay down and push off with their flippers and slide across the ice. Penguins are also good jumpers. They can jump the height and width of their own bodies. They often hop or jump over rocks or holes.
There are 17 especes of penguins: Emperor, King, Rockhoppers, Gentoo, Magellanic, Galapagos, Adelie, African, Little, Royal, Yellow-eyed, Snares, Chinstrap, Humboldt, Macroni, Fiordland, Erect-crested.
