Reflective Journal 4

"An endangered species is an animal that is dying out (their total population is decreasing). Penguins are being classified under endangered species. Some reasons make complete sense, for instance, man-made pollution destroying food sources. Others are surprising, such as deforestation. But there are also a lot of ways people are trying to prevent penguins from becoming extinct."

"Oil spills are probably the biggest problems for penguins. The oil gets on their feathers and they get it in their beaks when they preen. Since they don't fly and must surface often to breathe, penguins are unable to avoid being coated if oil is on the surface of the water. Also their eggs will contain traces of oil in them too. This is a problem because it either kills the embryo inside or the oil deforms the developing chick. Penguins cannot see the oil coming and neither can most humans. On July 23, 2000, the oil tanker "The treasure" sank, leaving a huge mass of oil. The company SANCCOB, a rehabilitation organization, immediately started helping the penguins. Still, almost 40% of the African Penguin population was oiled.
Along the coast of Argentina, Magellanic penguins are killed, not by oil accidents, but by the routine operations of large oil tankers. Empty tankers must fill their tanks with water for (to act as weight) purposes. Then, within about two miles before filling with oil, the oily water must be discharged -- directly into the ocean."

"Deforestation is one way people continue to destroy penguins' habitat. No one would think deforestation would hurt the penguin population, but many penguins can and do live in forests. People have many reasons to like penguins and penguins have many reasons not to like us too."