Blue Penguin: Cute workaholics. They go to sea at dawn and return at night, and so on all their lives (9 photos)

Now I will upset many of you - to be nice you need to work like hell. Especially if you were born in Australia. Yes, blue penguins look like plush toys, but their whole life is a labor feat on the verge of the possible.





This cute chubby guy can outdo all your unpaid overtime.

The cute sea-green birds are comparable in size to chickens - 40 centimeters in height and 1.5 kilos of dietary meat. Much of their charm lies in their size, but it comes at a price. Such dimensions make them vulnerable to most predators. And if in the sea the “white front, blue back” camouflage system works well, then against the backdrop of rocky crevices and sandy beaches the birds stand out very much.



All the more surprising is the fact that blue penguins hang out on the shores of Australia, New Zealand and a number of smaller islands, and their total number reaches 2.5 million individuals! The secret to the success of little birds is incredible hard work. With the first rays of the sun, all adult representatives of the species go fishing and return only late at night.





Tourists watch the day shift return from the factory.

No days off, no vacations. Every day micropenguins go out to sea and swim 20-50 kilometers in search of food. But they are far from the coolest swimmers: our hero’s cruising speed is 5-6 kilometers per hour, and his diving skills are severely limited by the size of his small body. Their limit is a minute of holding your breath, and 10-20 meters of depth.



Microscopic fishing vessel.

All day long, the birds frantically fill their stomachs with small fish, large shrimp and bottom-dwelling mollusks. But when darkness comes, their work does not end. Having reached the house - a crevice or hole in the sand - the animals begin to do household chores.



They widen the entrances to the shelter and throw out the debris that has been brought in. It sounds simple, but the penguin has to use its beak, not a pair of hands. Then, with the help of these same beaks, the birds prepare for tomorrow's departure to sea - they clean and generously lubricate their feathers with a special secretion. Before dawn, they manage to snatch a few hours of restless sleep, after which the birds set off for another swim.



To make it not too sad to go to work, penguins prefer to spend time together.

When the time comes to raise children, penguins forget about the concept of “rest” in principle. Their only salvation is monogamy. A faithful friend will always support and lend a wing. Together they will be able to hatch chicks.



People are not born cute, they are made.

But we still need to find a suitable madam! To attract the beauty, the male resorts to a reliable grandfather method: he runs along the beach and squeals desperately. For some reason unknown to me, the young females perceive this performance as a sensual expression of love, their hearts melt faster than ice in a frying pan.



Where are you, my screaming handsome man?

Well, then everything is as usual: a joint hole in the mortgage, a gray life and a new pack of back-eaters every year. From such a difficult life, penguins die extremely quickly - few even live to be 6 years old. But if you provide them with comfortable conditions, the penguin will last all 18!



Love...

Blue penguins remind us of one extremely important thing: if you are a workaholic, you will grow old early and not see life. It's time for business, but don't forget about the hour of fun!