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Penguin waddle put to the test | Penguin waddle put to the test |
(about 11 hours later) | |
"Come on Puddle… You can do it!" yells Prof John Hutchinson. | "Come on Puddle… You can do it!" yells Prof John Hutchinson. |
Puddle - a Humboldt penguin - seems more than a little bemused. | Puddle - a Humboldt penguin - seems more than a little bemused. |
And with good reason. | And with good reason. |
A team of scientists have come to Penguin Beach at London Zoo, installed a hi-tech track and are now trying to lure Puddle and his penguin pals across it. | A team of scientists have come to Penguin Beach at London Zoo, installed a hi-tech track and are now trying to lure Puddle and his penguin pals across it. |
"Go Puddle, go!" encourages Prof Hutchinson, from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC). | "Go Puddle, go!" encourages Prof Hutchinson, from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC). |
And at last - with a fishy treat to help him along the way - the little bird waddles along the runway. | And at last - with a fishy treat to help him along the way - the little bird waddles along the runway. |
It is this distinctive walk that scientists from RVC and University of Texas at Austin are here to study. | It is this distinctive walk that scientists from RVC and University of Texas at Austin are here to study. |
Beneath the track lie force plates loaded with sensors, which allow the researchers to analyse how these birds get around. | Beneath the track lie force plates loaded with sensors, which allow the researchers to analyse how these birds get around. |
"Penguins move in a really weird way," explains Prof Hutchinson. | "Penguins move in a really weird way," explains Prof Hutchinson. |
"They have a very upright posture like a human, but they also have very short, crouched legs - it is very comical." | "They have a very upright posture like a human, but they also have very short, crouched legs - it is very comical." |
He adds: "But when I see an animal do something weird, as an evolutionary biologist, I want to know how that evolved, how it got that way. | He adds: "But when I see an animal do something weird, as an evolutionary biologist, I want to know how that evolved, how it got that way. |
"And with these experiments, we're trying to tie what we know about penguin evolution with penguin physics." | "And with these experiments, we're trying to tie what we know about penguin evolution with penguin physics." |
Foot swing | Foot swing |
Previous studies of the penguin's ungainly gait have revealed that the waddle is in fact the most energy efficient way for them to get about on land. | Previous studies of the penguin's ungainly gait have revealed that the waddle is in fact the most energy efficient way for them to get about on land. |
But these experiments will reveal exactly how they are doing this. | But these experiments will reveal exactly how they are doing this. |
"They are applying forces left and right as they swing their bodies from side to side," says Prof Hutchinson. | "They are applying forces left and right as they swing their bodies from side to side," says Prof Hutchinson. |
"But what is not known about penguins is how the legs do that, how big are the sideways forces on penguin legs and how that compares to other waddling birds. | "But what is not known about penguins is how the legs do that, how big are the sideways forces on penguin legs and how that compares to other waddling birds. |
"And that's why we need these force platforms to measure the forces in the legs individually." | "And that's why we need these force platforms to measure the forces in the legs individually." |
But it turns out that penguins didn't always waddle. Fossils reveal that their ancient ancestors moved in a different way. | But it turns out that penguins didn't always waddle. Fossils reveal that their ancient ancestors moved in a different way. |
"We have all kinds of fossils as far back as 60 million years ago from the Southern Hemisphere," says palaeobiologist James Proffitt, who has come from Texas to study the birds. | "We have all kinds of fossils as far back as 60 million years ago from the Southern Hemisphere," says palaeobiologist James Proffitt, who has come from Texas to study the birds. |
"That gives us a chance to understand how these unusual anatomies and behaviours have evolved in deep time and how we have all these bizarre things we see today." | "That gives us a chance to understand how these unusual anatomies and behaviours have evolved in deep time and how we have all these bizarre things we see today." |
The bird bones show that the first penguins were a varied bunch: some were tiny, but others grew as tall as humans, hunting large fish with their spear-like beaks. | The bird bones show that the first penguins were a varied bunch: some were tiny, but others grew as tall as humans, hunting large fish with their spear-like beaks. |
James Proffitt is particularly interested in a genus of penguins known as Waimanu. | James Proffitt is particularly interested in a genus of penguins known as Waimanu. |
These birds, unearthed in New Zealand, are the oldest-known penguins, living between 58-60 million years ago. | These birds, unearthed in New Zealand, are the oldest-known penguins, living between 58-60 million years ago. |
Mr Proffitt explains: "We know that penguins such as Waimanu were also flightless, wing-propelled divers based on things like their wing proportions and their relative size. | Mr Proffitt explains: "We know that penguins such as Waimanu were also flightless, wing-propelled divers based on things like their wing proportions and their relative size. |
"But in many ways they were different, and they probably moved about differently on land based on the anatomy of their legs and hip bones." | "But in many ways they were different, and they probably moved about differently on land based on the anatomy of their legs and hip bones." |
The team believes that these proto-penguins had a more horizontal posture, and their walk would have looked similar to that of a modern-day albatross. | The team believes that these proto-penguins had a more horizontal posture, and their walk would have looked similar to that of a modern-day albatross. |
Today's penguins most likely evolved their unusual anatomy and resulting waddle as they became better and better adapted to swimming. | Today's penguins most likely evolved their unusual anatomy and resulting waddle as they became better and better adapted to swimming. |
As their body shape changed to help them fly through the water with ease, they became more and more clumsy on land. | As their body shape changed to help them fly through the water with ease, they became more and more clumsy on land. |
Back at the running track, and the penguins seem to be enjoying not quite doing what they are told. | Back at the running track, and the penguins seem to be enjoying not quite doing what they are told. |
But Zuzana Matyasova, London Zoo's deputy team leader for the bird department, has found a way to attract their attention. | But Zuzana Matyasova, London Zoo's deputy team leader for the bird department, has found a way to attract their attention. |
A combination of some dangling string, a tennis ball on a stick - or some fish - is proving hard for some penguins to resist. | A combination of some dangling string, a tennis ball on a stick - or some fish - is proving hard for some penguins to resist. |
"Some of the youngsters are really inquisitive: anything new in their enclosure is almost like a challenge and they want to be the first ones to try it out," she explains. | "Some of the youngsters are really inquisitive: anything new in their enclosure is almost like a challenge and they want to be the first ones to try it out," she explains. |
She's hoping all this hard work will shed light on these birds. | She's hoping all this hard work will shed light on these birds. |
"I work with them every day, and I wonder about their way of moving - their distinctive waddle is just amazing." | |
While not every bird fancies taking a waddle down the runway, after several days, the scientists manage to collect enough data to begin their analysis. | While not every bird fancies taking a waddle down the runway, after several days, the scientists manage to collect enough data to begin their analysis. |
And by comparing this with their studies of ancient penguins, they hope to establish how and when one of nature's most distinctive walks evolved. | And by comparing this with their studies of ancient penguins, they hope to establish how and when one of nature's most distinctive walks evolved. |
Follow Rebecca on Twitter | Follow Rebecca on Twitter |
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