15 facts (and pictures!) that prove penguins are the world’s most adorable animals

Some penguin species mate for life, like the macaroni penguin. These guys and gals show their affection by performing an ‘ecstatic display,’ in which they swing their heads back and forth and cackle loudly.

Read on for the animals that mate for life (it’s not just penguins).

Most penguin species breed in large groups called colonies (only two species don’t) for protection. Those groups can range from a couple hundred to hundreds of thousands of penguins!

At least, male emperor penguins do, but not by sitting on them. These dads balance the eggs on their feet and cover them with feathered skin called a brood pouch. They stay like this for two months – without food and with no protection from the Antarctica weather – until the mums come back with food for the young ones. Talk about parents of the year!

When penguins swim, their black backs keep them invisible from predators up above, and their white bellies blend into the bright sunlight coming through the waves. We bet your tuxedo can’t do that.

Check out these adorable pictures of baby animals you’ll love instantly.

Penguins don’t have blubber like other sea animals, but their many feathers serve the same purpose. (In particular, emperor penguins have 100 feathers per six square centimetres). The feathers trap a layer of warm air next to their skin, and their surface feathers get colder than the surrounding air to keep their bodies warm.

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Source: RD.com