QUESTION:  What is the fiercest kind of penguin? How much blubber or fat 
does an adult penguin have?

        Mrs. Landmann's Fifth Grade Class
        Rio del Mar Elementary
        Aptos, CA

ANSWERS from Eric Holm, Researcher, Palmer Station, Antarctica
            Mon, 24 Feb 1997 18:13:38 -0500

Dear Fifth Graders and Ms. Landmann, 

I have only worked with three types of penguins; the chinstrap, 
the gentoo, and the Adelie.  In my opinion the Adelies are the most 
fierce.  Their bites are very painful and they have very 
powerful flippers that they strike the shins with. The amount of blubber 
or fat an adult penguin has depends on the species of penguin and the 
time of year.  For instance, an adult male Adelie penguin needs enough 
energy stores to be able to fast for up to 45 days during the courtship 
phase of the breeding cycle.  
 
Thanks for your questions.
Eric Holm