QUESTION:
Do the penguins drink water, or do they get water from what 
they eat?

        Taylor Lupo
        Mrs. Garvins'Class
        Mauldin, SC

ANSWER from Steven Downey, Doctoral Student
            University of Illinois 
            Sat, 15 Mar 1997 13:30:44 -0500

Dear Taylor,


While I haven't studied this myself, I would speculate penguins get the
majority of their water needs from what they eat.  However, that is not to
say a penguin won't if water is available to it.  Considering that
Antarctica is made up of ice and snow, it is not like a penguin has to go
far to get water.  All it has to do is eat the snow it is standing on
(although, in some penguin colonies, that snow can look pretty gross at
times).

Steven Downey