Penguin

Penguins exist only in my imagination.

I’ve came across several articles about such creatures before yet I never really paid much attention on them. It’s not that I did not believe on them. They just didn’t catch my interest as I did when I first learned about their admirable behaviors on building their family. Once a penguin has chosen his partner among thousands, he stays loyal to his mate. Penguin couples have their ways of recording their partner’s voice so that they could recognize each other among thousands. It’s kind of having a code that only both of them know. J This is the reason why polygamy was never an issue for them.

After the female penguin has given birth, she leaves the egg to the male. She has to endure the harsh winds to go back to the sea to replenish her energy after giving birth. She travels through the ice miles away to feed herself and store food for her chick at the same time. For the mean time, the male penguin has to keep the egg warm in his so-called feathery pocket just above his feet. He has to maintain a constant temperature of 35o C to keep the egg from freezing. The male actually hatches the egg while the female is gathering food. All of this happens for about 120 days. By then, the female must have already gathered enough strength and food to go back and take charge on rearing their young. If the female further delays her coming back, she might find her partner and their young freezing and starving to death.

I was really amazed how such a relationship exists between creatures that I thought exist only in my imagination. I think they’re wonderful.