Penguin Awareness Day 2023: History, meaning and some interesting facts about the flightless bird

Penguin Awareness Day 2023

Penguin Awareness Day 2023: Every year on January 20, Penguin Awareness Day is celebrated. Because humans don’t typically live in penguins’ natural habitats, the species’ annual population decline goes largely unnoticed. This day is a great effort to raise awareness about this important issue.

History

Every year on January 20, the United States celebrates Penguin Awareness Day to raise awareness about the incredible behavior and characteristics of these creatures. The purpose of this day is to raise public awareness about penguins and their habitat. This day emphasizes the protection of penguin habitats in an effort to promote penguin conservation worldwide. Climate change, overfishing, toxic plastics, invasive species, oil spills and habitat destruction are some of the major threats.

National Penguin Day was established in 1972 by Gerry Wallace of Alamogordo, California, who noted the event on his wife’s (Aleta) calendar.

Meaning

The goal of Penguin Awareness Day is to raise awareness about penguin conservation worldwide by emphasizing the protection of their habitats. This day also celebrates the unique characteristics and behaviors of these animals.

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Facts about penguins

  1. About 30 million penguins are believed to still exist today.
  2. They are more difficult to distinguish because of their black backs and white bellies, which act as a form of camouflage to protect them from predators.
  3. The known species of penguin are numbered 18. “adélie penguin”, “southern rockhopper penguin” and “macaroni penguin” are three of them.
  4. Emperor penguins have excellent breathing ability. Under water, they can hold their breath for up to 20 minutes! The typical penguin’s endurance is only two to three minutes.
  5. The penguin colony has two names. They are called “rafts” if they are underwater. They are called “waddles” if they are on land.
  6. The smallest penguin is only about 10 inches tall.
  7. However, the tallest can reach heights of over 4 feet!
  8. A “giant” penguin that once existed weighed more than 250 pounds and was 6.5 feet tall.
  9. Monogamy is typical of penguins.
  10. While the female emperor penguin hunts, the male incubates the eggs.
  11. Because they are carnivores, penguins often eat fish.
  12. The fastest type of penguin is Gentoos. They are capable of swimming at a speed of 22 mph while underwater.
  13. The world’s oldest penguin is said to be 40 years old, which is astonishing.
  14. Many male penguins give rocks to female penguins as a form of courtship.

How can you help protect the Penguins?

  • Make sure the seafood you consume is sustainably farmed or caught, as a responsible consumer.
  • Check fuel and oil lines for damage, do not pour used oil products down the drain and remember that oil pollution can be deadly to the marine environment.
  • Supports reduction of carbon emissions to mitigate climate change. Changes in ocean temperatures disrupt the food chain, affecting penguins’ diets.
  • Encourage conservation efforts to protect penguins and preserve their habitat.

Every year on January 20, our black and white flightless feathered friends are honored on Penguin Awareness Day. Unfortunately, penguins that live in Antarctica, like the Emperor and Adelie penguins, are increasingly concerned about climate change. These penguins can have serious habitat problems when the temperature changes by two degrees.

Check out other important dates and events in January 2023

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Source: pagasa.edu.vn

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