why don't penguins feet freeze?

Answer 1

Great book that - well worth a read!

The Answer-

The system that stops a penguin's foot from freezing is very elaborate and sophisticated and employs two mechanisms.

The first one allows the penguin to control the rate of blood flowing to its feet by varying the diameter of arterial vessels supplying the blood. In cold conditions the flow is reduced, when it is warm the flow increases.

The second mechanism takes the form of 'counter current heat exchangers' at the top of the legs. The arteries, which supply warm blood and oxygen to the penguin's feet break up into many small vessels which are closely linked to similar numbers of venous vessels bringing cold blood back from the feet. So, when heat is lost from the arterial vessels, the venous vessels running in the opposite direction pick it up and carry it back through the body, rather than out through the feet. This means that in the very remote regions of the skin, cells get oxygen but heat isn't lost through this skin.

Answer 2

Penguins reduce blood flow to their feet by varying the diameter of arterial vessels. This keeps their feet a degree or two above freezing, minimising heat loss, while escaping frostbite.

Answer 3

the penguin blood circulation system is constantly feeding warm blood to their feet and drawing cooled blood back into thier body core where it is warmed up again which maintains the temperature of their feet at slightly higher than freezing.

Answer 4

This is the Theory of evolution that an animal adapts its probably because it has a thick layer of skin on its feet or that there is a thin but insulating layer between the skin on their feet and the muslces and bones.

Answer 5

I believe it's because they have thick callouses on the bottoms of their flippers which separates their actual bodies from the ice. Callouses have no feeling and are practically dead skin.

That's just a guess thought.

Answer 6

They wear invisible thermal socks - and they don't worry about the cold.