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Cool Facts About Adaptations to Weather
Extremes
Whenever we take SeaWorld’s Pete and Penny penguin,
and sloths, and anteaters from Busch Gardens and Discovery Cove into classrooms as animal
ambassadors, we always get questions like “Isn’t that penguin supposed to be
refrigerated?”, “How come we don’t have sloths in the United States?”
and “What water temperature does Shamu live in?” We often answer with an
explanation of adaptations animals have for dealing with temperature extremes – or
not, as the case may be.
There are many species which are not used to extremes or great changes in
temperature, like those who inhabit tropical
rainforests around the world. Some of these animals, like the sloths and anteaters,
have very little tolerance for temperature change. These species cannot regulate their own
body temperatures very effectively and therefore would not survive in the wild outside the
constant mild rainforest climate.
Penguins and killer whales however, have evolved
adaptations to a wide variety of extreme environments. |
Huddle Up!
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Of the 17 species of penguins, only two actually live in the coldest
climates of the Antarctic; some live in the slightly less extreme temperatures of the
subantarctic and the rest experience some fairly great variations of weather. How do they
cope? Species in colder climates have proportionately longer feathers and thicker layers
of fat than penguins in warmer temperatures. Feathers waterproof the skin surface, and
trap air, which provides insulation. The darker color on the back of a penguin will absorb
the sun’s heat and huddling together in a group will conserve that warmth. |
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Magellanic penguins, which live off the coast of South America, have
several good adaptations for staying both cool in hot weather and warm in cold weather.
They dig burrows with short, sharp claws that can protect them from cold wind and driving
rain, but also from the sun’s hot rays on warm days. These warmer weather penguins,
called temperate species, don’t have feathers on their feet or legs, and have bare
patches around their beak. This allows the body heat to dissipate when blood vessels in
the skin dilate, just like when we become flush. Other ways to cool themselves down are
ruffling feathers to break up the insulating layer, holding flippers away from the body
and jumping in the water. |
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What's Black and White and Swims
All Over?
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Well that all makes sense. But how does an animal like a killer whale,
with no feathers or hair, no legs or feet, and no ability to sunbathe or dry off, survive
in different temperatures of the oceans? First, killer whales have a higher metabolism
than similar sized land mammals, and most of us know that their body fat is deposited as a
layer of blubber just below the skin, which keeps them warm. Their fusiform shape, with
reduced limb size helps to conserve body heat, as does breathing less often. In warmer
water, or during strenuous exercise, killer whales have the ability to increase
circulation in veins near the surface of the flippers, dorsal fin and flukes, thus
shedding heat into the environment. |
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| Adept at Adapting Every
animal has unique and interesting adaptations that maximize their species chances of
survival. Come visit the parks to discover and experience some more great examples! |
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