Galapagos Penguins

Scientific name: Spheniscus mendiculus

Total length: 21 inches

Weight: 5 pounds

Markings Their head is almost all black with a narrow band of white around its cheeks

The problem with living in the warm area is all penguins have thick, watertight coat of feathers for swimming and under this is a insulating layer of fat to protect them form freezing in the water. With the heat this is not a good combination.

The Galapagos have found a way to survive the heat. Accomplished with their layer of fat, which contains a network of blood vessels. In cooler temperatures, these vessels draw together, and the layer of fat becomes thicker. In warmer weather, blood flows freely through the vessels, where the heat is released. The underside of the wings also contain many blood vessels. When the heat gets to the penguins, they stand with their wings spread out. In this way, excess body heat can escape into the air. Galapagos penguins always stand so their feet are in the shadows cast by their bodies. Therefore, the feet do not absorb heat from heat from the Sun. The feet also release body heat into the air. That is also why they have bare patches of skin on their faces that serve the same purpose.

Galapagos penguins start mating in the begin of May. When possible, the penguins will seek out a shadowy area for their nests. The female lays two eggs and both the parents tended to the eggs. Because of the heat, Galapagos penguins frequently abandon their nests if the weather is too hat and find cool waters of the sea. The will be lost, but the penguins may soon lay more eggs.

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