Special blood protein may help penguins to dive: 10-12-2007
Emperor penguins may have a special protein that allows them to dive underwater for over 20 minutes on one breath, a new study has claimed.
When the penguins return from fishing, the level of oxygen in their blood is so low it would normally lead to black outs and tissue damage.
However, scientists believe that the penguins have a different version of haemoglobin, the substance that delivers oxygen to the body from the lungs.
The study reveals that penguin's haemoglobin could be extra sensitive and scoop up the remaining oxygen in the lungs whereas normal haemoglobin is not as efficient.
Speaking to National Geographic, Paul Ponganis, lead study author of the Scripps Institution of Ocenography in San Diego, California, said: "We hypothesize that the emperor can store more oxygen in its blood due to different binding properties of its haemoglobin."
Penguins can store about 2.5 times more oxygen per unit of body mass than humans and can slow their hear rate during long dives.
The study is being conducted on a research facility in Antarctica and scientists test the penguins by digging ice holes and attaching sensors to the birds.
When the penguins resurface through the ice hole the scientists can collect the data.
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