Underwater World Journal | Scientists tell: penguins are ideal divers!

Scientists tell: penguins are ideal divers!

Friday, September 29, 2006 | Posted to Creatures of underwater

While studying penguin swimming technics scientists discovered that this birds always come to surface slowly then going deep. This is like man do to avoid of barotraumas.

Researchers from National Institute of Polar Research have taken a lot of investigations to unveil secret of penguins having ability to dive very deep with lungs full of air and to come back without any harm.

Sea mammals like whales or seals before diving collapse their lungs thus avoiding problem of nitric-poisoning. Penguins do not have ability to empty their lungs and while diving they are full of air they need to stay underwater.

Penguin diving - Photo taken by Christopher Scheidel

Scientist where amazed discovering that penguins use the same surfacing technique that man use while diving. They spread wings to stop emersion halfway up and use neutral floatage of their bodies for gradual going up. Also they emerge using same angle. Moving under constant angle they for some time stay on same depth and the more shallow it is, the more they suspend their emersion.

Overall problem demand more research and it is early to assert that specific penguin’s diving is used only to evade barotraumas. Some biologist from California claim penguins exceptional emerging trajectory is also used to trick predators.

Underwater World Journal - Scientists tell: penguins are ideal divers!

Scientists tell: penguins are ideal divers!