Penguins spend their entire lives living in the coldest continent of the world and swimming in the cold waters of the planet. How do penguins do it without freezing? Here are a few methods that the penguin uses to stay warm.
1. Down feathers
Penguin feathers are not the usual everyday feathers you might expect to find on Robin or Blue Jay. Instead, their feathers are extremely short, thin and woolly. Their outer feathers are coated with oil to make them slightly more resistant to water. They can even inflate their inner feathers a bit to create even more space to trap the warm air near their skin.
2. Subcutaneous fat
Although penguins feathers can help them stay warm when they are on land, it does not help them too much when they are in the water. Penguins actually spend about half of their day in water, and water is usually around 25 degrees Fahrenheit (freezing point of sea water). To stay in the water, penguins have a layer of subcutaneous fat. Otherwise, known as “dumb”, it is traditionally mother-nature — the preferred technique for preserving marine animals such as whales, seals, and dolphins.
3. Technique tripod
Have you ever noticed that you never see penguins lying on the ice? Instead, they always get up! This is due to the fact that they need to minimize the surface area of the body that touches the ice. The ice is cold, and if the penguin should lie on the ice, he will soon lose his entire body. In fact, penguins do not even usually stand on the ice for long periods of time. Instead, they recline to the heels and use the tip of the tail to balance themselves.
4. Fight
If you have ever been on a cold night with someone you love, then you have probably found that you can stay warmer by squeezing together. Penguins bring this concept to the extreme. To stay warm, they will shrink massively. Thus, they do not need to independently absorb all the cold air and wind. Instead, they are surrounded by other warm penguins. They take turns standing on the edge of the group.
