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Falling Penguins

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cromity1 | 01:52 Wed 17th Jan 2007 | Animals & Nature
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If a Penguin falls over either forwards or backwards how do they get up again?
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If they should happen to fall on their back they simply roll themselves back on their stomach, from there it is a simple matter for them to stand up again. Penguins have very low centre of gravity and frequently purposely flop forward on their tummy and push themselves along, achieving speeds greater than walking with less effort.

To get up they pull their little but strong legs under their stomach and just straighten up.
There is a famous myth that penguins in the Falklands had never seen planes until the confict with Argentina, and straining to look up as the planes flew over, the would fall on their backs and be unable to get up. This meant that the navy had to send patrols onto the islands to stand the penguins up again, these were known as Penguin Patrols.

Of course, it's total nonsense!

Next week - did Bob Holness really play saxaphone on 'Baker Street'?

And hold on for - Daddy Long Legs - the most poisonous insect in the world, but with fangs too weak to bite.
And there's me thinking they just did it for comic effect and to get on 'You've Been Framed' and win 250 quid for fish!
Their legs are a lot longer than they appear to be - they're simply hidden inside the body. See here
So they'd get up in much the same way as you would, if you kept your hands in your pockets the whole time.
Perhaps it's my age or the fact that my boobs are rather big, but I<I/> would certainly have trouble getting up from a prone position if I kept my hands in my pockets. :o)
Sorry about that, my italics didn't get switched off. Nasty. :-(
Good grief - they really do have long legs you would never think that!!!!!!!!
you live and learn.
My goodness heathfield, Is that what I look like inside?

By the way, has anyone solved the other big problem and can tell me what sex I am?


why gen2, don't you know ???
They wouldn't need to get up again, cos I'd eat them all!

Have you tried the penguin tea challenge? Bite the top left and bottom right corners off a penguin, dip the bottom right corner in a cup of tea and suck through the top left corner. When the tea soaks through the penguin through the bottom corner, it melts in your mouth - heaven!

Try it - you know you want to!

PS doesn't work so well with the avian variety.

I'm really surprised seeing that skeleton of a penguin, never really thought about them having a skeleton before, how weird!!!!
Well andy, there is some truth in the daddy long legs thing!! but the daddy long legs is in fact an American (i think) spider, its venom is highly toxic but has fangs to short to deliver the venom and there is very little venom. I may be wrong, I haven't exactly researched it.
OK, in South Africa!! I cant be right all the time!!

Sorry cromity1 I kinda took over your thread for a moment!!
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Thanks for the answers however bizarre!

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