Penguins, courtesy of Wikipedia

Penguins (order Sphenisciformes, family Spheniscidae) are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have become flippers. Most penguins feed on krill, fish, squid, and other forms of sealife caught while swimming underwater. They spend about half of their lives on land and half in the oceans.

Although all penguin species are native to the southern hemisphere, they are not found only in cold climates, such as Antarctica. In fact, only a few species of penguin live so far south. Several species are found in the temperate zone, and one species, the Galápagos Penguin, lives near the equator.

The largest living species is the Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri): adults average about 1.1 m (3 ft 7 in) tall and weigh 35 kg (75 lb) or more. The smallest penguin species is the Little Blue Penguin (Eudyptula minor), also known as the Fairy Penguin, which stands around 40 cm tall (16 in) and weighs 1 kg (2.2 lb). Among extant penguins, larger penguins inhabit colder regions, while smaller penguins are generally found in temperate or even tropical climates (see also Bergmann's Rule). Some prehistoric species attained enormous sizes, becoming as tall or as heavy as an adult human. These were not restricted to Antarctic regions; on the contrary, subantarctic regions harboured high diversity, and at least one giant penguin occurred in a region not quite 2,000 km south of the equator 35 mya, in a climate decidedly warmer than today. (courtesy of Wikipedia)

Saturday, July 2, 2011

First Things First

What is the first thing today? I start with washing my face and brushing my teeth, simple habits of taking care of myself and preparing to discover the day. It's become my (carefully created) habit to then go to the small porch outside my office, settle on my knees, relax my shoulders and neck, and say -- within the words I've said for more than 20 years -- "Thank you for this day. Help me please to know the way for me today, and grant me the strength and the willingness for that way."

I think about penguins ... about a grandmother penguin that we've nicknamed Rose ... and I remember that joy comes alongside awareness of the fragility of the Antarctic ice pack and its creatures. I want to know more. @BethKanell #penguinistics
Posted by Beth Kanell at 9:45 AM

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