Penguin Awareness Day Jan 20, 2023

We"re celebrating Penguin Awareness Day in the Falkland Islands, taking a stroll with some king penguins. Kings are the second-largest penguin species, only outranked in stature by their emperor penguin cousins. And while the kings" tuxedo coloring gives them a dash of the debonair, it also provides an important and more practical purpose: camouflage. When the birds dive deep into the ocean looking for food, their black feathers disguise the birds from predators above, while their white undersides do the reverse. Kings are legendary for their diving prowess—in their quest for tasty squid and lanternfish, they can dive to depths of 300 feet, and some have even been spotted nearly 1,000 feet beneath the surface. Underwater, these flightless birds are the epitome of grace. On land, however, they are not so graceful, and waddle or "toboggan" on their bellies to get around.

© Elmar Weiss/Getty Images

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Today in History

Jan 20, 2018Yellow-eyed penguins, Moeraki, New Zealand
Jan 20, 2019It’s Penguin Awareness Day
Jan 20, 2020A march toward a dream
Jan 20, 2021Penguins can t fly!
Jan 20, 2022Penguin Awareness Day
Jan 20, 2024Penguin Awareness Day
Jan 20, 2025Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Jan 20, 2026Penguin Awareness Day

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