What kind of food do penguins like to eat?

Penguins, nicknamed "ships of the sea," are among the oldest migratory birds and probably settled in Antarctica long before the planet put on ice armor. There are 18 penguin species worldwide, most of which are found in the Southern Hemisphere. So, what do penguins like to eat?

What do penguins like to eat?

Penguins mainly feed on Antarctic krill, a marine zooplankton, and sometimes prey on small fish, squid, and wrist creatures.

II. Living habits of enterprises

1. predation

Penguins feed on marine zooplankton, mainly Antarctic krill, and sometimes on brachiopods, squid, and small fish. Penguins have good appetites. Each penguin can eat an average of 0.75 kg of food per day, mainly Antarctic krill. Penguins therefore play an important role as predators in the Southern Ocean food chain. Penguins prey on about 33.17 million tons of krill in Antarctica, accounting for 90% of the total consumption of Antarctic birds, equivalent to half of the krill eaten by whales.

2. temperament

Penguin's disposition is simple and honest, generous, very funny. Although penguins have an extraordinary appearance, they appear a little arrogant and even domineering, but when people approach them, they do not look at people and escape, sometimes as if nothing had happened, sometimes as if shy, at a loss, sometimes looking around, whispering, chirping.

3. swimming

Penguins are typical seabirds. Although they can't fly, they are super swimmers among birds. Penguin feet, though webbed, are only used as rudders to control direction, and the power to move forward depends entirely on those paddle-like wings that flap and fly in the water.

Penguins swim very fast. Emperor penguins can swim about 10 kilometers an hour, while white-crowned penguins swim 36 kilometers an hour, the fastest of all birds. Penguins often swim dolphin style, that is, diving for a distance, out of the water for air, and then dive to continue swimming. In fact, penguins are also diving champions among birds, with records of 18 minutes and 265 meters underwater.

Penguins have very good appetites. Penguins can eat almost one and a half catties of food. They are also good helpers in maintaining the food chain in the ocean. Antarctic krill are mostly eaten by penguins, accounting for a large proportion of whale prey krill.