Wonders of God’s Creation

What Do They See Under the Sea? Humboldt penguins live along the Pacific coast of South America—very close to the equator, in some cases. The Humboldt Current off the coast supplies them with chilly arctic water, but on land, the temperature can get up to 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42 Celsius). So God gave them bare patches of skin on their face, wings and feet to help them stay cool. These torpedo-shaped penguins swim at speeds up to 30 miles an hour. Dense bones allow them to dive deep underwater, using their wings and webbed feet for precision steering while hunting prey. But going fast is useless if you can’t tell where you’re going. Penguin eyes are well equipped to distinguish between the violets, blues and greens of the underwater world. They also feature a transparent nictitating membrane—a “third eyelid” that acts like a built-in pair of safety goggles while underwater. Pictured: Humboldt penguin (Spheniscus humboldti) Photo by James Capo Text by Jeremy Lallier and James Capo