Why Penguins Can’t Fly?
One of the reasons I love visiting Antarctica and the Southern Hemisphere is because it is one of the few places in the world where you can see penguins!
South Georgia is an island located in the Southern Hemisphere, just off the peninsula of Antarctica and is home to the largest King Penguin Colony in the world.
In fact, South Georgia is home to more penguins than any other island in the world and, on one bay known as Saint Andrews Bay, it has over 1 million King Penguins in a single colony. That is A LOT of penguins!
Did you know that penguins are one of the only bird species that can’t fly? You might be wondering why? Well, let me tell you!
All 17 species of penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere where there are no land predators (Yes, polar bears only live in the Arctic or Northern Hemisphere) and they spend over half their lives in the water hunting and fishing for food.
Over time, they evolved and turned their ability to fly into an ability to swim which helped them become better divers and hunters underwater. In fact, penguins can swim up to 22 kilometers per hour underwater!
There are only 60 species of birds who can’t fly—ratites (ostriches & emus) and penguins. Because penguins can’t fly they gather in HUGE colonies, making it an exciting experience for those who get to see them.
So why can’t penguins fly? Well, because the just don’t need to!
Join us on our next trip to Antarctica, see our next Departures Here.
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