Page 156 - World of Animals - Book of Sharks & Ocean Predators

Sharks & Ocean Predators
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23. Penguins are carnivores

It’s easy to forget, but all penguin species are actually digesting them directly or consuming and processing them
piscivorous carnivores, consuming massive amounts of into a slurry to be more easily transferred to their young.
meat during their lives. In fact it’s estimated that the Hunting for meat occurs on a daily basis and trips are
Earth’s macaroni penguin population consumes 9.2 undertaken in groups, but foraging itself can occur both
million tons of krill each and every year. in isolation or as part of a concerted group effort. They
While penguins consume a wide variety of food work together to catch prey or take it in turns to enter the
sources, they do have some favourites, with krill, squid water while the others rest. Penguins’ desire for meat will

and fish such as anchovies and sardines common see hunting parties frequently travel many miles both in
favourites. Certain species also have a penchant for and out of water to reach prime feeding grounds, spending

crustaceans, cuttlefish and shrimp too, eating and days on end catching and eating fi sh.

Blood-thirsty
Penguins are carnivores,
consuming fish, shellfish and

crustaceans in very large
quantities to survive.
Hunting technique
A popular hunting
technique is to dive to 50m

(164 ) and then swim up
to surprise fish swimming

closer to the ocean surface.

“Penguins’
desire for

meat will see
hunting parties

frequently travel
many miles”

24. They are extremely 25. Their colonies
short-sighted can be massive
Intriguingly penguin eyes and human eyes are If you thought a penguin rookery was big, with
remarkably similar, with a cornea, iris and crystalline thousands of birds all drawing together in one
lens focusing light onto a retina. With penguin eyes, place, then think again, as a penguin colony can be

however, the cornea is almost flat and its iris is over 100-times larger.
controlled by a far more powerful muscle than ours The current Guinness World Record for
– two features that make the penguin capable of the largest penguin colony on Earth lies with
seeing both in and out of water equally well (unlike Zavodovski Island, an active volcano in the South
humans who are farsighted underwater). Sandwich Islands. Zavodovski sees approximately
The trade-off for this ability is a general short- two million chinstrap penguins breed on its slopes

sightedness both in and out of the water, however, each and every year, with several hundreds of
particularly so when on land. Regardless, with thousands of birds descending on the island to
little need for pin-sharp, hawk-like vision, penguin court and mate.
LEFT Penguins eyes have been shown to be completely adequate. In Along with the macaroni, the chinstrap penguin
have similar
eye structures general, individuals are easily able to pick out partners is among the most numerous penguin species
to humans and chicks at medium range. found across the world.

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