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Kōrero: Penguins

Porpoising

Image
Porpoising

Penguins are divers rather than fliers, but they still understand that air offers less resistance than water. When travelling at the surface, as opposed to chasing food, some species (including the Snares crested, shown here) commonly ‘fly’ out of the water at each thrust of their flippers, getting further than if they stayed in the water. This mode of travel is known as porpoising.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Adelie Productions

by Lloyd Spencer Davis

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Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

Lloyd Spencer Davis, Penguins – The penguin history of New Zealand, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/photograph/6398/porpoising (accessed 4 June 2026).

He kōrero nā Lloyd Spencer Davis, i tāngia i te 2 March 2009.