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Why do penguins live in snow?

Updated: 8/9/2023
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15y ago

Best Answer

to get food like krill,small fish and squid

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Eliseo Weimann

Lvl 10
2y ago
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11y ago

They don't.

Penguins are found in the Antarctic, but not at the South Pole itself. This theoretical point lies too far inland for penguins, or any other animals to venture.

Penguins are only found in the Southern Hemisphere, and are by no means restricted to the Antarctic. Whilst nothing can actually live at the "South Pole", because it is a point too far inland on the Antarctic continent to support life, penguins are one of the most abundant lifeforms found on the Antarctic peninsula and surrounding islands.

Penguins are specially adapted to live in these colder areas, because they have blubber which can protect them from the cold. Cold water can remove heat from the body much faster than air, so a good insulator is required.

Penguins need to live where they do (in and near the ocean) because they eat fish. They have special adaptations that allow them to live in the water. They cannot fly in air because their wings are too small for their body weight. The penguin is simply unable to create enough energy to take off. Penguins' wing bones are fused straight, rather than angled like a flying bird's, and this has the effect of making the wing rigid and powerful, like a flipper. The small wings and a streamlined body shape are ideal for diving in water.

Unlike the majority of other birds, penguins do not have hollow bones, so are much heavier and harder to support with their small wings. The solid, as opposed to hollow, bones act as ballast to help them dive. Also, being solid, they are less prone to breakage from the stresses of swimming. Some (but not all) flying birds have hollow bones to be lighter.

Penguins also have higher levels of myoglobin and feathers optimized for the aquatic environment. Myoglobin is the main way penguins store oxygen during their long dives. The muscles of flying birds are filled with mitochondria and enzymes to power flight, and there is no space left-over for myoglobin. So, flying birds cannot spend us much time underwater as penguins because they have less myoglobin (less oxygen per body mass) and lower body mass (less over oxygen).

Another reason why penguins live where they do is because they are able to optimise their feathers for the aquatic environment. Penguin feathers are short and tight to keep water away from the skin and to create a smooth surface to lower drag. Flying birds have very different feathers that are fluffy to trap air for insulation.

Oddly, penguins only come to land to breed. Otherwise, they live their lives in seawater.

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12y ago

they live in the south pole because they need to be in cold air and that's were they find food.

Not entirely correct. Of the 17 known species of Penguin, only 2 actually inhabit Antarctica. 3 other species, use the Antarctic for breeding purposes only.

Of the remainder, They all inhabit the Southern Hemisphere, in a range from Oceania, to the Galapagos.

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15y ago

Not all penguins live in Arctic climates but the ones that do live there for the same reason that any animals live anywhere. They're suited for it. Evolution, yeah baby!

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10y ago

Yes, there are 4 main species of penguin braving the Antarctic's cold: Emperor Penguins, Adelie Penguins, Gentoo Penguins, and Chinstrap Penguins.
Yes, but not in the Arctic (North).

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14y ago

Adaptation on a safer habitat with less predator and lesser competition for survival are the main reasons why penguins live mainly in Antarctica.

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13y ago

Penguins live in Antartica, the south pole.

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Q: Why do penguins live in snow?
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What type of penguin lives in the snow?

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