March of the Penguins
Every March the Emperor Penguins of Antarctica head out on a journey of up to 70 miles that will take them up to week to reach their destination; their mating ground. There destination is always the same, the thickest part of the ice so the eggs will not fall thru, however their path will change due to change in the environment, but they will always find their destination. Many other penguin clans will come from different directions sometimes sliding on their bellies when they get tired of walking. Once they reach their destination the clans mingle and find their mate for the year. The Emperor Penguin will have only one mate a year so there will sometimes be some hostility between females over a male since there are more women then men. An egg will finally be produced in early June and carefully be handed off to the father in what can be described as a dance since the egg must be kept warm as it is quickly passed between them to be balanced on top of the father’s feet. If this dance takes too long the egg will freeze. Immediately after the mother will hurry off to the ocean to feed since she has lost almost 1/3 of her body weight producing the egg. While she is gone the males huddle together to stay warm thru the winter and protecting the egg from the 80 bellow air and 100 mph winds for over 2 months without food. They will take turns in the center where it is warmer but will sometimes drop their egg while it is balanced on top of their moving feet, losing their egg forever. The mother’s journey will be longer and more difficult then before since the waters edge is farther away due to new ice formation and colder weather. Once in the water they will feed upon fish, krill, and squid however the seals will feed upon them during their return. During their absence the egg will hatch and the father may have to cough up and milky substance they had been storing in order to feed the baby and keep it alive another day or two, but...