QUESTION:
How big is the island where the penguins live?  How fast do
they breathe?

        Third Graders / Ellen Morton, Media Specialist
        Susan Mills, Enrichment Teacher
        Burch Elementary School
        Tyrone, Georgia


ANSWER from David Lott, Research Assistant, Palmer Station, Antarctica
            Fri, 14 Feb 1997 14:59:59 -0500

Dear Third Graders and Ms. Morton and Ms. Mills,

The penguins actually nest on several islands.  The one where we
worked, Torgersen Island, is approximately 1/4 of a mile in diameter.
Looking on a map, I see that Humble Island, the one on which the
broadcast was shot, is about the same size.

As far as how fast the penguins breathe, it depends on the state that
they are in.  In other words, if they are upset or stressed, then
their respiratory rate increases, much like yours and mine.  A
colleague, Terry Bucher, has determined that their resting rate is
about 8-10 breathes per minute.  In this amount of time, the penguins
take in about 630 ml per minute or about 80 ml per breath.  However,
when the birds get excited, they might breathe as fast as 45-50
breathes per minute.

Thanks for your questions!
David

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