19. A Gentoo For You

Image from king-animal.blogspot.com

Gentoo penguins are the third-largest penguin species and the fastest underwater swimmers of all penguins, reaching speeds of up to 36 km/h. They can dive as deep as 200m and stay underwater for up to 7 minutes by reducing their heart rate from around 80-100 bpm to only 20 bpm.

Like all penguin species, Gentoos have a white ventral side and a black dorsal side - a colour pattern known as countershading. This colouring is particularly useful while swimming underwater; their lightly coloured bellies help these penguins to blend in with the sky for predators or prey that are looking up, while their darker backs blend into the ocean floor for predators or prey looking down.

Sadly, these penguins are classified as near threatened by the IUCN due to a rapid decline in some populations of these penguins.

Please support my journey to help keep the Treaty in place that is currently protecting these feathery friends! https://goget.fund/3t5vze8

Love, Donna