1. Penguin Diversity

2. “the way animals and plants become better at living in their habitat”
What is adaptation?
“the way animals and plants become better at living in their habitat”
Adaptations allow animals and plants to live successfully in their habitat.
Animals and plants that live in different habitats need different adaptations.
What is adaptation?
It is the way animals and plants become better at living in their habitat
Adaptations allow them to live successfully in their habitat e.g. help with get the food they need, to communicate with each other, and to avoid predators
Different penguins species (types) are adapted to their different environments.

3. Penguins Today we are going to talk specifically about penguins.
- Explore what the class already knows about penguins

4. Penguins Cannot fly Eat fish, squid and crustaceans (like krill)
Are birds and have feathers
Young penguins are called chicks
Penguins
Warm blooded (like mammals)
Penguins
- Are birds, so they have feathers
- Cannot fly
- Eat fish, squid and crustaceans (such as krill)
- Young penguins are called chicks
- There are 18 different species of penguin
- Are very good swimmers
- Live in the Southern Hemisphere
- They are warm blooded, like mammals, so it is very important they are able to keep warm
There are 18 different species of penguin
Live in the Southern Hemisphere
Are very good swimmers

5. Staying warm Emperor penguin
Many penguins live in very cold environments, so they have adaptations to keep them warm (all these examples are illustrated with images of the emperor penguin)
They have a thick layer of blubber under their feathers which acts as insulation (like whales)
They have a very dense layer of feathers which acts to trap warm air and keep water out
Behavioural adaptations
- They huddle together to reduce heat loss (adults and chicks both do this)
- The emperor penguin even raises its feet to reduce contact with the ice (balance on their heels and tail, like a tripod)

6. Movement – on land Gentoo penguin Magellanic penguin Emperor penguin
Movement is also important for penguins, whether this is on land or in water
Penguins need to be able to move across the snow (or sand in this case - magellanic penguin)
It is harder for penguins to move on land than in water, as penguins have short legs and large bodies
They have claws to grip onto the ice (gentoo penguin feet)
Some species (like the emperor penguin) prefer to slide across the ice – called tobogganing
They may not be very graceful on land, however when they are in water…
Magellanic penguin
Emperor penguin

7. Movement – in water King penguin Gentoo penguin
In water penguins are very agile and graceful and also very speedy
(Left) King penguin (Right) Gentoo penguin
Penguins are much more graceful in water than on land – they have a streamlined body (which is tapered at both ends) and can swim very quickly, up to 15mph
They generate speed using their flippers (which are modified wings), and steer using their feet
It is very important for penguins to move effectively underwater because they enter the water is to hunt - find and catch food (fish, squid, crustaceans etc)
King penguin
Gentoo penguin

8. Effective hunting Emperor penguin
If you are a predator (such as the emperor penguin), then you need adaptations that make it easier for you to catch your prey
Streamlined body shape, move quickly through the water
Emperor penguins hunt in groups and work together to catch prey
Emperor penguin

9. Avoiding Predators Looking up Looking down
*This slide contains animation*
As well as being good at hunting it is also very important that penguins are able to avoid predators – such as leopard seals and killer whales
Who can tell me what camouflage means?
It’s a way for animals to hide from other animals by changing their appearance
Although they might not look it, penguins are actually well camouflaged when swimming in water, because they are black on top and white underneath
Imagine you are a seal swimming in the ocean looking for penguins
- (Left) if you are really deep and looking up, then you are looking towards the sky which is really bright, and all you will see is a penguins white belly [CLICK]
- (Right) if you are swimming near the surface and looking down where it is really dark, you will be looking at the penguins back which is also dark, so it’s well hidden
(generally) main predators of adult penguins – leopard seals and orcas, main predators of penguin chicks and eggs – skuas and petrels
Looking up
Looking down

10. Emperor penguin This is the emperor penguin
It is the largest species of penguin
It lives in Antarctica
It is well adapted to survive in the cold
- have a large body with small head and flippers
- hold their flippers close to their body, imagine standing with your arms crossed tightly
- huddle together to keep warm (adults and chicks both do this)
- tip up their feet, stand on their heels, reduce contact with the ice
They don’t build a nest for their eggs, instead the male carries the egg on its feet to incubate it, in a pouch of feathery skin to keep it warm
They are the only Antarctic bird that breeds in winter

11. Galapagos penguin
Not all penguins live in cold environments – this is the Galapagos penguin
It is one of the smallest penguins in the world (height about 50cm)
It is the most northerly penguin in the world, lives at the equator (Galapagos Islands)
They are adapted to a warm environment – different adaptations because their habitat is different
- lose heat through flippers and feet (opposite problem to penguins that live in cold habitats)
- spends lots of time in the water keeping cool
- pants like a dog to lose heat
- seek shade, stay out of the sun
- ruffle feathers to release air trapped beneath (like opening your coat zip when you’re too hot)
- nests in burrows where it is cool and sheltered

12. Rockhopper penguin Rockhopper penguin
Distinctive yellow feathers on the sides of the head – part of the group of ‘crested penguins’
Mate for life, always return to the same place every year to lay their eggs
Take it in turns to sit on the egg (unlike the emperor penguin)
Nest on cliffs (as seen above)
‘Hop’ across rocks in their cliff-top nesting sites – hence their name

13. Adelie penguin Adelie penguin
Simple camouflage – black on top, white below – look like they are wearing a tuxedo, or like a waiter in a posh restaurant!
Have a white ring around their eyes
Build a nest using small stones where they lay their egg then incubate it, rather than laying it in a burrow (Galapagos penguin), or keeping the egg on its feet (emperor penguin)

14. Chinstrap penguin Chinstrap penguin
- Another penguin with very distinctive markings – looks a bit like its wearing a helmet with its ‘chinstrap’ – hence the name
- Create nest in a circular platform made of small stones (similar to the Adelie penguin)
- Usually lays two eggs, and often both chicks will survive (rather than just one),
- Male and female share incubation duties
- Feeds mainly on crustaceans (krill, like shrimps)
There are 18 different species of penguin – if you want to learn more about the different types of penguin you can find them all on the ARKive website (

15. Make your own penguin mask!
Activity
Make your own penguin mask!
Now its time to do the activity – we want you each to make your own penguin mask.

16. Emperor penguin (chick)
Chinstrap penguin
Macaroni penguin
Yellow-eyed penguin
King penguin
Rockhopper penguin
Emperor penguin (chick)
You can choose to make any type of penguin mask, here are a few examples showing the different species you could choose.