Such speed.
Such grace.
Such majesty.
What agility.
And, no! We aren’t talking about gazelles or dolphins. Black, white, and anything but light, penguins are some of the fastest and most agile creatures in the animal kingdom — at least underwater.
Indeed, penguins aren’t the speedsters of the avian world. However, whatever physical adeptness they lack on land, these smartly dressed birds make up for under the waves.
Yes, penguins are fast underwater. “How fast, exactly?” We’ll answer this question below. After reading this, you’ll know that there’s more to these flightless chaps than being masters of bespoke Ascot attire!
How Do Penguins Swim so Fast?
Believe it or not, the tuxedo that penguins don doubles as an oil-lubed wetsuit for underwater agility. In other words, we can attribute a penguin’s torpedo-like speed underwater to its oil-covered feathers and the structure of its flippers.
Let’s get into this in more detail.
Penguins don’t have wings. Instead of wings, nature granted penguins with flippers capable of propelling these flightless birds anywhere from four to seven miles per hour.
Just for comparison, we humans can swim only a fraction of that speed, with our best swimmers covering a fifth of a mile in the same amount of time.
Flippers designed for maximum propulsion can only get a bird or seal so far, especially when drag comes into play. A penguin’s answer to forces that slow down any other animal underwater is its coat.
A penguin’s external layer is an interlocked network of feathers. This gives penguins insulation as well as their dashing appearance. More importantly, these feathers are covered with oil, allowing penguins to “glide” through the water without any resistance.
Let’s not forget a penguin’s beach figure. Penguins have the perfect truncated cylindrical shape that’s similar to that of a submarine. This, coupled with their flippers and feathers, gives them the speed even leopard seals envy.
Maybe it’s high time to switch to that fish-and-krill diet you’ve been putting off?
How Fast Can Emperor Penguins Swim?
According to Penguins Blog, emperor penguins or Aptenodytes forsteri can reach speeds of up to nine miles per hour. For comparison’s sake, imagine swimming 289 Olympic-sized pools in an hour.
Even a regular emperor penguin can say “eat my dust (or bubbles)” to any one of our best swimmers!
While nine miles per hour is impressive, it isn’t the fastest a penguin can reach.
That’s right. Unfortunately, the ambassador for the Spheniscidae family can’t hold a candle (or tuna tail) to the Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua papua). Gentoo penguins can reach speeds of — wait for it — 22 miles per hour!
So, we now know that penguins are speedy swimmers. But, how do they fare on land?
Read on to find out!
How Fast Do Penguins Walk?
Easy answer — ZERO MILES PER HOUR BECAUSE THEY DON’T WALK!
Kidding aside, ornithologists call the ambulatory movement of penguins on land waddling. Hence, if you’re curious about how fast they “walk,” what you’re really asking is how fast they waddle. According to Oceanwide Expeditions, penguins waddle (walk) at a slow one and a half miles per hour.
While the speed does vary by species, we can generalize that penguins aren’t as spry on land. There have been several theories to suggest why this is the case. Other than not messing up their tuxedos, one theory has been that it is a way to preserve calories.
According to Scientific American, waddling compared to walking burns far fewer calories. Burning as few calories as possible may be a recipe for obesity for us humans. However, for penguins, this is a good thing.
After all, for a bird that goes weeks to months without food waiting for a partner’s return, a calorie surplus is a must.
How Fast Do Penguins Run?
Penguins can kick it up a notch when necessary. When threatened or frightened, several species of penguin can run up to two miles per hour. Of course, just don’t expect them to keep the pace up for long.
Penguins do have other ways of speeding up on land. Farther north of Antarctica are subspecies of penguins known as Eudyptes. The Eudyptes subspecies are collectively known as “crested” penguins owing to the yellow crests above their eyes or heads.
These penguins do run at speed mentioned earlier. However, these penguins are capable of hopping. In fact, the name of many penguins belonging to this subspecies suggests what they hop from — Rockhopper.
Rockhopper penguins can vertically jump nearly two times their height (16 to 18 inches). Forward and back, they can hop at roughly the same distance and in quick succession.
How Fast Can a Penguin Slide?
Another way penguins move about on land is by sliding or tobogganing. The speed at which a penguin toboggans is 1.5 miles per hour, according to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
To toboggan from one place to another, a penguin drops to its belly after getting a short head start. The inertia is what propels a penguin on a slippery icy surface. Of course, friction, albeit minimal, will put a penguin to a stop. If a penguin wishes to travel farther, it needs to paddle on the ice and kick with its flippers and feet, respectively.
Penguins, especially emperor penguins, toboggan during long walks to the ocean. Since emperor penguins live in the middle of the ice shelf, the distance between where they are and the ocean can be significant. Tobogganing is an emperor penguin’s way of conserving energy during a long trek towards a much-needed seafood buffet.
Tobogganing allows penguins to travel slightly faster than if they were to waddle. Also, tobogganing is a way for these flightless birds to get from point A to point B without falling.
All penguins are capable of doing this. Of course, don’t expect one to slide on its belly on jagged rocks. The surface will still play a role in whether or not a penguin will indulge in some slip-and-slide action.
Waddle a Penguin Do if It’s Ice-olated? Swim, Waddle, and Toboggan!
Penguins may not be the fastest animals on land. Nonetheless, they’re excellent swimmers, efficient waddlers, and skillful tobogganers.
Perhaps the most crucial thing penguins bring to the table is how they add diversity to virtually every biome you find them in. Adding life to barren icescapes, penguins are also a symbol of resilience amidst an environment that won’t always play ball.
Sources:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/14-fun-facts-about-penguins-41774295/
https://www.pinguins.info/Engels/Voortsnel_eng.html
https://www.speedofanimals.com/animals/gentoo_penguin
https://seaworld.org/animals/facts/birds/rockhopper-penguin/
