Penguins

Myopic little men in tuxedos, or highly efficient

land/water animals? Recent research indicates

there's more to penguins than meets the eye. If

you've every wondered what it would be like to

be able to see as clearly under water as you can

on land, just ask the nearest penguin.Most aquatic

animals are short-sighted on land. Most terrestrial

animals (and that includes us) are far-sighted under

water. But researchers have discovered that

penguins can apparently see equally well in both

environments, because of the unique structure of

their eyes. Penguins have to be able to see well

under water because their diet consists mainly of

plankton, molluscs, crustaceans, and the inevitable

fish. Through a special slowing-down of their heart

rate they're able, like many other diving animals, to

stay submerged long enough to search out and

chase whatever catches their fancy. On dry land,

it's a different story-or has been up to now.

Waddling along on their flat little feet, eyes fixed

intently on the ground, penguins appear myopic,

inefficient and generally out of place. In fact the

reverse is true. During a recent stay on the

Falkland Islands, a Canadian researcher

discovered that penguins are able to recognize

individuals and navigate the rocky terrain on which

they live quite well. Long of body and short of leg,

they probably poke their heads forward as an aid

to balance. And as for looking at the ground,

they're merely-like us-keeping an eye on where

they're going. The human eye is adapted