What’s Brown And Red and Looks Like A Penguin?

Did you know that penguins didn’t always boast tuxedo-like black-and-white markings, according to a new study. The discovery of the first ancient penguin fossil with evidence of feathers reveals the aquatic birds were not black and white but were once reddish-brown and gray.

The 36 million-year-old fossil represents one of the largest ancient penguins ever found. The bird would have been 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall, and probably weighed twice as much as modern Emperor penguins, which average about 66 pounds (30 kilograms). Its long, grooved beak suggests that, like modern penguins, it hunted by diving for fish. Imprints of feathers in the rock around the bones could help researchers understand how modern penguin feathers evolved, said Julia Clarke, a paleontologist at The University of Texas at Austin and a co-author of the paper.

The fossil, a new species named Inkayacu paracasensis (or “Water King”), was discovered in the Reserva Nacional de Paracas, a desert preserve on the coast of Peru. Researchers in the field noticed evidence of scaly skin on the fossil foot, prompting suspicion that more evidence of soft tissue might have been preserved. When Clarke examined the specimen in the lab, those suspicions proved true.

“I turned over a flake of rock right near one of the wing elements, and right there was our first evidence of feathering,” she told LiveScience. To find out what color those feathers might have been, the researchers examined the shape of the penguin’s melanosomes. These tiny structures resembling pockets contain pigment cells that help give bird feathers their color. The analysis showed that the ancient feathers were likely reddish-brown and gray.

“The plumage of these animals was in a very different palette of what we see in living penguins today,” Clarke said. While comparing the ancient penguin’s melanosomes to modern birds, the researchers noticed another oddity: Modern penguin melanosomes are different from those of other modern birds. They’re broader and clustered in patterns not seen in other species.

Stranger still, the ancient penguin’s melanosomes didn’t match modern penguins’ and instead looked like the melanosomes of other modern birds. The feathers themselves were shaped and stacked like those of modern penguins, suggesting that the ancient penguin had already evolved to swim. The broad melanosomes, however, must have evolved later, perhaps as a way to make feathers more resistant to the wear and tear of swimming underwater, the researchers wrote in the Sept. 20 online edition of the journal Science. Black-and-white coloring would have evolved later, as camouflage from predators like seals that weren’t yet around when the newly discovered penguin species roamed the seas.

“It’s a quite interesting find, because not only the feather preservation, but also because they found a nearly complete skeleton,” said Gerald Mayr, a paleornithologist at the Senckenberg Museum of National History in Germany, who was not involved in the study. However, Mayr said, the theory that physical forces acted on penguin feathers to change the evolution of melanosomes is contradicted by the fact that half of modern penguin feathers are white and contain no melanosomes, despite being subject to the same hydrodynamic forces as melanosome-rich black feathers.

“The main question certainly is, if not due to hydrodynamic forces, why do penguins have such strange melanosomes?” Mayr said. The new fossil is the first chance researchers have had to ask such questions about how penguin feathers evolved to ‘fly’ not in the air, but underwater, Clarke said. “It’s a pretty major transition to go from aerial flight to aquatic flight, to flying in a medium that’s around 800 times denser than air,” Clarke said, adding: “I think there will be more to the story of this penguin’s feathering.”

Do Penguins Use Daylight Saving Time?

Do penguins adhere to daylight savings time?  Do penguins even care?  Antarctica where two major penguins species reside (Emperor and Adlie) sits on every line of longitude, due to the South Pole being situated near the middle of the continent. Theoretically Antarctica would be located in all time zones, however areas south of the Antarctic Circle experience extreme day-night cycles near the times of the June and December solstices, making it difficult to determine which time zone would be appropriate. For practical purposes time zones are usually based on territorial claims, however many stations use the time of the country they are owned by or the time zone of their supply base (e.g. McMurdo Station and Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station use New Zealand time due to their main supply base being Christchurch, New Zealand).Many areas have no time zone since nothing is decided and there are not even any temporary settlements that have any clocks. They are simply labeled with UTC time.  With almost six months of daylight and six months of darkness in most of Antarctica we must conclude that daylight savings time in the southern continent does not make any sense, so there’s no “fall back, spring ahead” in Antarctica, and since penguins can’t tell time, we must conclude the Antarctic time zone phenomenon moot. At least for penguins.

Antarctic Time Zone Map

 

Emperor Penguin vs Ice Loss

The Penguin Post has learned that a decline in the population of emperor penguins appears likely this century as climate change reduces the extent of Antarctic sea ice, shows a recently published U.S. study. The research, led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and published this week in Global Change Biology, focuses on a much-observed colony of emperor penguins in Terre Adelie, Antarctica. Employing a set of sophisticated computer simulations of climate and a statistical model of penguin demographics, the authors conclude that the number of breeding pairs may fall by about 80 percent by 2100. Building on previous work, the team examines how the sea ice may vary at key times during the year, such as the seasons of egg laying, incubation and chick-rearing, and how the sea ice concentrations may influence the males and females. The authors stress that their projections contain large uncertainties, because of the difficulties in projecting both climate change and the response of penguins. However, almost all of their computer simulations point to a significant decline in the colony at Terre Adelie, a coastal region of Antarctica where French scientists have conducted penguin observations for more than 50 years. “Our best projections show roughly 500 to 600 breeding pairs remaining by the year 2100,” says lead author Stephanie Jenouvrier, a WHOI biologist. “Today, the population size is around 3,000 breeding pairs.” Another penguin population, the Dion Islets penguin colony close to the West Antarctic Peninsula, has disappeared, possibly because of a decline in Antarctic sea ice, according to the biologist. The nearly four foot tall emperors are the largest species of penguin. They are vulnerable to changes in sea ice, where they breed and raise their young almost exclusively.

The Life Cycle Of The Emperor Penguin

Emperor Penguin Population Times Two

Counting emperor penguins in their icy Antarctic habitat was not easy until researchers used new technology to map the birds from space, and they received a pleasant penguin surprise for their efforts. The Penguin Post has learned that by using satellite mapping with resolution high enough to distinguish ice shadows from penguin poo, an international team has carried out what they say is an unprecedented penguin census from the heavens over the past three years. The good news was that the team found the Antarctic emperor penguin population numbered about 595,000, nearly double previous estimates. But the bad news was that some colonies have disappeared altogether due to changing weather patterns and the long-term future of the birds is far from assured. “Yes, this is the first comprehensive census of a species taken from space, absolutely,” said Barbara Wienecke, a sea bird ecologist with the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) who spoke with Reuters by phone from the Aurora Australis research vessel. Previous counts have been inaccurate due to rough terrain that made some colonies inaccessible and frigid temperatures that can plummet to – 50 degrees Celsius (- 58 Fahrenheit). This time the group, a collaboration between the AAD, the British Antarctic Survey, the University of Minnesota/National Science Foundation and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, used aerial photography to calibrate their analysis of counts taken on the ground. Emperor penguins, with their distinctive black and white plumage, stand out against the snow. That means colonies are clearly visible on satellite images, the group found. Their results are published in the journal PLoS ONE.

Satellite image showing part of the Halley Bay emperor penguin colony (Photo courtesy BAS)

The technique also has the advantage of having no negative impact on the sensitive Antarctic environment or the birds. “Most of the time it is impossible to take into consideration every single colony, but now we are in a position that we can actually compare how the sea ice environment changes and hopefully continue to monitor the population – and see which ones may or may not be decreasing in size,” Wienecke said. Previous censuses using more traditional counting methods came up with estimates of 270,000 to 350,000 birds. While the greater number of penguins is encouraging, changing weather patterns mean their survival is far from assured. The larger population may also pressure the numbers of krill in the oceans, an essential food for the penguins.
Warming oceans observed by the research team can also have an impact. Of particular concern is what happens with “long fast ice” – ice that is attached to the continent and forms a continuous flat area of frozen ocean. Such ice is where most of the penguin colonies are found, its flat surface essential for the male penguins who incubate each mating pair’s single egg on their feet.
“Things change very quickly, so we can’t take comfort in having half a million birds at the moment,” Wienecke said. “If the fast ice changes, the birds can end up in a lot of strife very, very quickly.”

Climate Change Good for Gentoo Penguins, Bad For Adelie Penguins

As the Antarctic Peninsula warms, penguins that live in the area year-round have a breeding advantage over birds that migrate in. Gentoo penguins live on the Antarctic Peninsula year-round, and their numbers are increasing while migratory chinstrap and Adelie penguins are dwindling in the area. New research by Stony Brook University researcher Heather Lynch reveals that Gentoo penguins have adapted to warmer temperatures faster than the other two species. Using field work and satellite imagery, Lynch and her colleagues tracked colonies of the three penguin species. They found that warming temperatures triggered penguins to lay their eggs earlier in the season than normal. Gentoos are able to adapt more quickly because they’re locals, the researchers found. Adelie and Chinstrap penguins aren’t aware of the local temperatures until they migrate into the area, meaning they can’t shift their breeding as dramatically. Gentoo penguins may also have an advantage because they prefer areas with less sea ice than chinstrap and Adelie penguins. The latter two species rely more on ice-loving krill as their food source. A long-term study of penguins published in 2011 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that krill density is down as much as 80 percent since the mid-1970s. Krill depend on algae growing on sea ice for food. Also in 2011, researchers reported that a small colony of West Antarctic Peninsula Emperor penguins had disappeared in 2009 after about three decades of stability. Warming is also bringing other changes to the southernmost continent, including colonization by king crabs.

Colony of Adelie Penguins in Western Antarctica

Reaction to Desert Penguins Blow Hot and Cold

For the first time, penguins that normally live in the freezing cold in and around Antarctica can be found in the scorching Middle East. And that’s ruffling some feathers, with some animal rights activists crying foul.  In Dubai’s humid desert — with its 120-degree summer heat — a colony of penguins now lives a long way, in every way, from Antarctica. They’re transplants, 20 penguins in all, bred in captivity and newly-arrived from Sea World San Antonio. Their new home is a mammoth indoor ski facility called Ski Dubai, on the Arabian Peninsula. Visitors can see penguins up close, touch them, and even swim with them. “The whole objective of the program is to raise awareness about those wonderful creatures and about the environment,” says Omar Al-Banna, the marketing director at Ski Dubai, “and what people should do and what they shouldn’t do about the penguins and the environment.” The new arrivals will live in climate-controlled cool and be pampered like sheikhs. They won’t have to hunt for fish. A staff of 13 people — part minders, part butlers — will serve them restaurant-quality dishes. Vets will see them every two weeks. And there’s not a predatory seal in sight. Still, some animal rights critics complain this exhibits distorts the true penguin experience in the wild, both for the birds and their visitors.  But, asks the Penguin Post aren’t these penguins born and raised in San Antonio?  Not, exactly the South Pole.  “These are ice animals and climate change and other issues impact them,” says Humane Society International Vice President Kitty Block. “Does it educate people about the plight of these animals? So, if it’s not educating and it’s just entertainment, well then, there is a concern about that.” But the exhibit’s organizers compare penguins to animal ambassadors that will now represent their species — and flaunt their charm — to a region that might otherwise never see them.

The Fun Penguins Of Maryland

I have a real soft spot for the Maryland (Baltimore) Zoo as a few years ago I was treated to a behind the scenes, up close and personal chance to hang out in the penguin den for an hour.  That afternoon was without a doubt my personal favorite live penguin experience.  I doubt any of the penguins remember me, but I sure remember them.

Eric in his peronal penguin heaven at the Maryland Zoo

Today, the Penguin Post is happy to report that the 52 African penguins at The Maryland Zoo are doing just fine and are more popular than ever as they chew on shoe laces, hide underneath rocks and skirmish among themselves. They are a curious, stubborn, squawking lot. The keepers at their Rock Island habitat, the zoo’s penguin exhibit since 1967, have their hands full. Always. “This is kind of like having a day care with a bunch of 3-year-old kids sometimes,” said Jen Kottyan, the high-energy manager charged with their care. Yet it’s those same quirks that have allowed the waddling, attention-craving penguins to endear themselves to their human keepers. Their antics during public feedings draw a crowd no matter the time of year, including in the winter months when the Maryland Zoo was previously closed to visitors. The zoo is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fridays through Mondays in January and February for the second consecutive year. A few of the species, including some African birds and tortoises, are kept indoors during teeth-chattering, cold winter days. But most of the zoo’s more than 2,500 animals deal with frigid weather just fine. The African penguins seem right at home. The species is native to the rocky coastline of South Africa and Namibia and its temperate climate. Only a few penguin species live as far south as Antarctica in the wild. The zoo’s penguins are free to meander about outside as long as their 250,000-gallon moat is not completely frozen over.

Feeding Time

If it gets too chilly even for them, they can retreat to a heated indoor sanctuary. When the domesticated penguins spot caretakers and visitors inside their habitat, many of them wander over. And that’s when the fun starts. Depending on their moods, the penguins will peck at pant legs, surround their human counterparts or jostle with each other. If one of their human handlers omits a yell that sounds like a braying donkey, the penguins will mimic it. The high-pitched squawk is the reason why the African penguins are nicknamed the jackass breed. “We don’t like to call them that,” Kottyan said, “but the kids get a kick out of it.” During a public feeding Friday, the penguins gathered while caretakers flung herring, capelin and squid at the group. The penguins each eat about a pound of fish each day. Their human overseers closely track how much each penguin in the group eats. Two of the zoo’s four penguin chicks were brought outside for the public feeding. Four penguin chicks have been successfully bred there in recent months, Kottyan said, with the most recent one born on Christmas Day. The Maryland Zoo has raised more than 800 chicks and plays a role in the African Penguin Species Survival Plan. The zoo has raised chicks that are now on display throughout the country at other exhibits. The Maryland Zoo has the largest collection of African penguins in the U.S. The African penguins are threatened due to overfishing and frequent oil slicks in their home habitats, which happen to be near busy shipping routes for crude. “If they get coated with oil, they want to clean themselves and wind up ingesting it,” Kottyan said. The plight other species of  penguins have been featured in major motion pictures such as “March of the Penguins”, “Surf’s Up”, “Madagascar” and “Happy Feet” in the last decade, but the not so glamorous African penguin has not seen the Hollywood spotlight yet. Kottyan said zoo visitors took notice. “We hear the comments even still when we are out in the public feeding that our penguins don’t look like the ones from ‘March of the Penguins,’” she said. That’s because they are a completely different breed. “March of the Penguins” followed a colony of Emperor penguins in Antarctica. The 2-feet-tall African penguins are roughly half the size of their Emperor counterparts. Regardless, Kottyan said the movies sparked an interest in their plight and allow the keepers to explain that there are different types of penguin.  Even in Africa, where these penguins are considered endangered by The

Say Cheese ( I mean fishies).

International Union for Conservation of Nature. The penguin exhibit is among the most popular at the zoo, staffers said. A few times each year, the zoo holds Breakfast with the Penguins programs. This year’s programs are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. April 14, July 6-7 and Sept. 8. “They sell out every single time,” Kottyan said. During the events, visitors have the opportunity to eat breakfast, feed the penguins and learn more about their behavior. They discover what their caretakers have known for so long: The tiny penguins can be rambunctious, loving, inquisitive and maddening all at once. “Working with these guys,” keeper Betty Dipple said, “prepares you for motherhood.”

Obviously Penguins Enjoy A White Christmas

With not a snowflake in sight here at Penguin Place HQ in usually snowy Northampton, Mass on December 25, it’s good to know that at least someone is pretty much guaranteed to have a White Christmas.  However, if you wanted to enjoy the snow with these Emperor penguins you would have to travel a few thousand miles and end up a very far indeed from “civilization”. But, I couldn’t think of a more beautiful way to spend Christmas.

Penguin Socks

How many different penguin socks styles are too many penguin socks?  That’s a question that may never be answered, but as of this afternoon our count at Penguin Place is 20. Yes, 20 different styles of penguin socks! Even so with all these different penguin sock styles today was a kind of sad day here in our igloo, as this morning our last pair of purple skating penguin socks waddled out the door.  Alas, after many years of loyal service they have been discontinued by the manufacturer, or retired as they now say in the wonderful world of retail.  So, to make up for this loss we ordered two new penguin sock styles which we think the penguin loving public will love.  Our Penguins On Gray socks which are at once fun and elegant, and the same can be said for our classy Emperor Penguins socks.  Both are from Wheel House Designs in Vermont and being that Vermont is only about 25 miles up the road from us I think it’s safe to say that they’re made in the good old U.S. of A.

How Long Can Penguins Hold Their Breath?

Whenever I talk about penguins at public schools the two most common questions that students ask me is how long can penguins hold their breath and how deep can they dive. Of course the answer varies a great deal between penguin species, but now researchers have pinpointed to a great degree of accuracy the answer to these questions when it comes to Emperor penguins.   Publishing in the Journal of Experimental Biology late this year, Katsufumi Sato (of the International Coastal Research Center at the University of Tokyo) and four others examined these abilities by affixing dive recorders to emperor penguins captured at a diving hole in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica (affectionately called the Penguin Ranch), and at a breeding colony at Cape Washington. In both locations, the penguins’ mean dive duration ranged from 1.7 to 3.0 minutes. Most dives lasted no longer than 10 minutes, and most dives did not exceed 100 metres. However, nine of the 10 tracked penguins dived deeper than 400 metres, and four of those made it to 500 metres. But the big news was the bird at Cape Washington known as CW8: It stayed under water for an incredible 27.6 minutes, setting a world record for underwater diving birds. Weighing 27.5 kilograms and employing a stroke-and-glide method of locomotion, CW8 reached a depth of 110 metres and then swam at depths ranging from 30 to 60 metres, reaching speeds of about two metres per second. Immediately after this amazing feat, the bird lay on its belly on the sea ice for about six minutes and then stood still on its feet for another 20 minutes before beginning to waddle about. Its next dive did not take place until eight hours later, either because it had filled itself with food on such a long dive or, more likely, because it was exhausted.

These Emperors would win the Penguin Olympics for diving and holding their breath.