One of the most endeared mammal species known to mankind is the penguins, with the stocky birds catching the imagination of millions worldwide for a long time now. For most of us, Penguins are no short of movie stars having featured on the silver screen many times but there is more to this being than we know. They are speedy swimmers and love trotting on the ice in a manner which can be best described as cute. World Penguin Day 2020: View Emperor Penguin in Google 3D Animals Feature And Get The Tallest & Heaviest Penguin Home During Quarantine.

The World Penguin Day is celebrated April 25 every year is a day to spread awareness about this beautiful animal. It gives us an opportunity to learn more about them and why it is important to take efforts to save their habitat which is threatened by peaking globalisation curve. On World Penguin Day 2020, we take a look at some interesting facts surrounding these majestic birds. World Penguin Day 2020: Pictures of Adorable Aquatic Birds to Brighten Up Your Day!

  • The Blue Penguins weight roughly 3 pounds and are not more than 33 cm in length. They are the smallest species of the Penguin.

  • When explorers first came across the Penguins, they referred to them as the “strange geese”.

  • They are fast swimmers with an average speed ranging from 4 to 7 mph with the Gentoos species managing a staggering 20 mph speed.

  • Despite being stocky, the penguins are known for deep diving. An Australian Antarctic Division recorded an emperor penguin diving to a depth of 1850 meet.

  • Penguins do not have teeth and fleshy spines inside their mouth help them swallow food.

  • During a two to three week period each year, the penguins lose all their feathers. In this catastrophic molt, they can't swim or fish until the feathers grow back.

  • Penguins locate each other with distinct calls at the time of mating and some species of the bird are known to mate for life.

  • Penguins love swimming and it is believed they spend 80% of their life underwater. A group of such birds underwater is called a raft.

  • Penguins are friendly with humans and feel safe with researchers or travellers around. There are several stories of penguins falling in love with zookeepers and scientists.

  • The Macaroni Penguins are known for their fashion sense with spiky yellow crests making them stand distinct.

  • Penguins are known for laying on their stomachs and propelling themselves with their feet instead of shuffling across the ice as it is faster.

The 18 species of the Penguins live in the southern hemisphere between latitudes 45 and 60  degrees south with Antarctica being dominant homeland. Some species of penguins like Gentoo make pebble nests while little penguins tunnel holes in the sand dunes. We wish everyone observing a Happy National Penguin Day!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 25, 2020 01:07 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).