Who doesn't love penguins? One of the most easily identifiable birds, with their distinct waddle and tuxedo-like markings, these cute, fluffy creatures are found on every continent in the Southern Hemisphere and live in large colonies of between 300-1000 pairs!

Every year on April 25, the world celebrates World Penguin Day.

This quirky holiday marks the annual northward migration of penguins, and began when scientists at the McMurdo research station in Antarctica noticed that every year, on 25 April, a particular colony of Adelie Penguins would begin their journey back to land after spending months at sea. It isn’t uncommon for migratory animals to follow specific migration patterns, but this colony would travel (swim, walk or waddle!) back to the exact same spot each year.

The scientists observed this occurrence for 7 years in a row before deciding the movement was too regular to be a coincidence, and delved into further research on this annual event. It has since been discovered that this is the regular migration pattern of these penguins!

Today, World Penguin Day is more than just a celebration of these adorable creatures – this unofficial holiday serves as an opportunity for scientists and penguin lovers to teach the public how they can help save these birds and their habitats. 

Our primary school Science students will receive a special Penguin Day infographic during their Science lessons this week!

Find out more on how we are celebrating World Penguin Day at The Learning Lab here!