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I N T R O D U C T I O N

Emperor and Adelie penguins share the same territories on Antarctica. The Emperor is the largest of all the penguins, standing more than 3 feet (1 meter) tall and weighing up to 90 pounds (41 kilograms). Adelies are much smaller, standing only about 28 inches (70 centimeters) tall and weighing only about 8 or 9 pounds (4 kilograms).

W orldwide, there are more than 9,000 bird species. The penguin family contains only 17 (or perhaps 18) of that multitude, yet penguins are among the best- known and most easily recognized of all birds. They are also among the most beloved. The appeal of the penguin is easy to understand. These large, awkward birds waddle along comi- cally with an air of bustling importance. They are extremely tame and curious around humans. And because they walk upright, have flippers instead of wings, and resemble someone wearing formal attire, they remind us irresistibly of ourselves. Not surprisingly, penguins are highly popular zoo exhibits. Looking at penguins a little more objectively, we find that they remain fascinating for their remarkable adaptations to their hostile environments and for their amazing behavior. Penguins are found in a wider range of climates than any other animal in the world. Emperor, Adelie, chinstrap, and gentoo penguins, for example, all breed on the frozen Antarc- tic continent—the coldest, highest, driest, and windiest place on Earth. The Galapagos penguin, on the other hand, is found on the arid and isolated Galapagos Islands, which straddle the equator in the Pacific Ocean far to the west of South America. Several other penguin species are found on the rocky coasts at the tip of South America and Africa, whereas most pen- guin species breed on the cold, rugged islands widely scattered

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