QUESTION:
How thick is the blubber on a penguin that helps it survive 
in this Antarctic environment?

        From Sabrina - Hydesville, CA
        Ginny Dexter's class


ANSWER from Carol Vleck, Researcher, Palmer Station, Antarctica
            Fri, 7 Feb 1997 08:47:08 -0600

Hi Sabrina,
The fat layer under the skin of a penguin might be as much as 2-3
centimeters thick in the biggest penguins.  It would not be so thick in the
smaller penguins, probably less than 1 centimeter.  These penguins would
rely more on their thick waterproof coat of feathers to avoid heat loss.
The amount of blubber on a penguin would also vary a lot with whether or
not the birds had been fasting, as they do when molting or breeding, or
whether they were feeding at sea and laying down lots of fat as an energy
store.

Thanks for your question!
Carol