World Penguin Day seeks to celebrate the aquatic, flightless birds. Penguins are critical to their ecosystems as they serve as both predators and prey. They provide food for leopard seals while preying on fish such as squid and krill. Penguins are in danger of being affected by climate change. According to World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), up to 75% of the Adelie penguin population will decline and eventually disappear if the temperature rises above 35.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius).
World Penguin Day was established in 1972 by Californian Gerry Wallace. It is observed annually on April 25th, a date that marks the Adelie penguin’s migration north toward Antarctica.
Comments