Penguins spend a lot of time dealing with
temperature. They are warm blooded, just like people with a normal
body temperature of about 100 degrees F.
So how do they stay warm in the cold
places they live and in the icy cold waters?
Just like whales,
penguins have a layer of fat under their skin called
"blubber". Overtop of this they are covered with fluffy
"down" feathers and overtop of those they have their outer
feathers which overlap to seal in warmth. Penguins rub oil from a
gland onto their feathers to help make them waterproof and windproof.
Even so, penguins often need help to stay
warm. In photos and video, you'll often see groups of penguins
huddled shoulder to shoulder with their wings tight against their body
keeping each other warm. As many as 5,000 penguins will bunch
together to warm each other up.
Some penguins have the opposite
problem. The Galapagos penguins live in such tropical weather that
they get too hot. These penguins spread out their wings and fluff
out their feathers to help them cool off.
