QUESTION:  
I was just wondering what do the penguins eat in Antarctica?  

        From Warren G., and I go to Ridgeview Middle School 
        in Atlanta, Georgia.


ANSWER from Lori Ross, Research Assistant, Carol Vleck's Team
            Palmer Station, Antarctica
            Wed, 12 Feb 1997 12:23:33 -0500

Dear Warren, 

99% of the Adelie penguin diet consists of krill.  Krill are tiny 
shrimp-like creatures that live in great abundance in the oceans down 
here.  An Adelie may also eat an occasional fish, but this is not 
the staple of their diet.  The penguins pursue the krill by diving to 
depths of 10-40 meters on average.  They also may need to travel a 
long distances to find food (up to 100 m from the colony). However, 
when a penguin has chicks, it forages closer to home so it 
can return quickly to the colony to feed the chicks.    

Thanks for your question!

Lori Ross