Pygoscelis+adeliae

//**Adelie Penguin **// // Pygoscelis adeliae //


 * Class ** – Aves
 * Order ** – Sphenisciformes
 * Family ** – Spheniscidae






 * Endangered Species Act – **Within the past few years, the Adelie Penguin populations have been on a rapid decline. The reason for this is that the ice in the South Pole, their natural habitat, is melting due to global warming. However, they are currently at a status of “least concern.”


 * Habitat and Ecosystem – **Adelies live in a very cold and different environment than humans. Ross Island ( 77° 40 ′ 0 ″ S, 168° 0 ′ 0 ″ E), is covered mainly in ice, and surrounded by water. The Adelies prefer to be near water and breed on rocks.


 * Physical Habitat Features – **At the South Pole, there are diurnal and semidiurnal gravitational tides. The South Pole is known for the geological process of magnetic pole reversal every 200,000 years.
 * Currents: Antarctic Subpolar, Antarctic Circumpolar
 * Temperature: Surface temperature is roughly 0˚C
 * Salinity: 34.0
 * Migration Patterns – ** Some populations migrate seasonally between feeding and nesting areas on land or ice. They are migratory breeders. Specifically, they go to rookeries (on rocks) to make nests and breed. Usually, they return to the same spot each time.
 * Population – ** roughly 4 to 5 million penguins are alive right now
 * Currently, the population is at the lowest level of endangerment. Their population seems to be remaining the same, and at a slight decrease.
 * Appearance – ** Black with strong beaks. They have white stomachs and waxy feathers to preserve body temp. in water. Most Adelies are about 2 ½ feet tall and weigh roughly 13 pounds. Adelie Penguins have a distinguishable white ring around their eye, and small feathers at the tip of their beak.




 * Reproduction – ** They spend about a month nesting and mating, and the female lays 2 eggs. The male protects the egg while the female goes to sea for food. The gestation period is 63 days, and chicks are able to go on their own after 8 weeks. As well, penguins usually only lay one brood meaning they only have an offspring once. Reproduction occurs on rocky areas in rookeries. The Adelie Penguin specifically migrates from packed ice to rocks for this reason.


 * Anatomy & Physiology – **
 * Vestigial Wings have adapted to be flippers for swimming. Penguins cannot fly because of this.
 * Countershaded for camouflage – predators looking up from water have difficulty distinguishing between penguin and reflected water.
 * Have adapted an average sense of hearing to locate chicks and family in penguin colonies.
 * Eyes are adapted to see underwater to locate food and predators.
 * Have a thick layer of insulated feathers to keep them warm in the cold winter.
 * They contain a supraorbital gland which filters salt from their bloodstream. Because of this, penguins can drink slat water.
 * Use their tail and wings in order to maintain balance when walking.
 * Within their plumage, they have a waxy coating and a layer of air to keep them buoyant.
 * Able to control blood flow to their extremities in order to maintain body temperature heat. This prevents the penguin from freezing.
 * Most penguins are able to stay under water for roughly 20-30 minutes at a time to get food. In this time, they can dive deep or stay closer to the surface based on the type of food they need.
 * Food Chain/Web – ** Adelies mainly eat krill, fish, and amphipods. Their main predator is the leopard seal, which usually attacks penguins right after getting food.
 * Economic Importance – ** Currently, penguins are not of economic importance or tourists attractions, aside from zoos. As well, they are not a victim of by catch.
 * Threats – ** Severe and extreme weather conditions and global warming. Currently, pollution and fishing are not concerns for the Adelie Penguin.
 * Conservation Efforts ** – Currently, there are programs such as “Sponsor A Penguin” or donate to a conservational effort that protects penguins from extreme climate change. Other programs have been made (not specific to the Adelie Penguin) to prevent penguins from being harmed by oil spills or habitat destruction.



http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/ecosystems/penguins/images/birdsouth4._resized.jpg http://www.acpathope.org/student%20sites%202009/iPenguins%20LRF/Graphics/adelie-penguin.jpg http://icons-pe.wxug.com/data/climate_images/Antarctica_map_small.gif ** http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/144801/0 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelie_penguin http://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/wildlife/adelie_penguin.htm http://www.penguinworld.com/types/adelie.html **
 * Solutions for Adelie Penguins – **
 * Use more environmentally friendly products to prevent global warming.
 * Do not allow fisheries to work in the Antarctic, this way penguins will be preserved and left alone.
 * Keep an eye on the number of leopard seals. If there are too many, more penguins will be eaten in order to satisfy the appetites of leopard seals.
 * __Scavenger Hunt Question__ **** – **
 * 1) How come Adelie Penguins are considered endangered?
 * 2) Explain the food web and chain of Adelie Penguins.
 * 3) Why do Adelie Penguins migrate?
 * __Cited Sources (Pictures) –__
 * __Cited Sources (Information) –__