Why Chinstrap Penguins Need to Nap Approximately 10,000 Times a Day to Survive

Certain birds may sleep for a few periods while doing activities, much as people can while reading or using a computer. However, one particular bird seems to have mastered the technique of taking these little sleeps.

In a recent study, scientists discovered that chinstrap penguins, during the mating season, average around 10,000 four-second naps every day. The birds are able to accumulate around 11 hours of sleep every day because to their sleeping habit. This contradicts the widely accepted human idea that uneven sleep might have a detrimental effect on total sleep quality, which is surprising.

According to The Guardian, the only species of bird on Earth known to take 10,000 quick naps a day is the chinstrap penguin. This behavior is related to how little time these sleeps last—about 4 seconds apiece. These penguins slumber while moving their necks, according to research. They snooze a lot because they are always worried about their kids, nests, and eggs. During these short sleeps, the penguins periodically open their eyes to attentively watch their eggs and babies, driven by a protective impulse.

Based on studies conducted starting in the 1980s, scientists have discovered that chinstrap penguins often take 11-hour naps. At first, it was noted that penguins slept in brief stretches. According to Lyon Neuroscience Research Center researcher Paul-Antoine Libourel, people are unable to adhere to this sleep schedule. Libourel explains that people may not be able to achieve such extended sleep times because of the substantial anatomical variances and variability in sleep patterns.

Black and white chinstrap penguins in the Southern Hemisphere can dive down to 70 meters with remarkable grace. These penguins are aquatic species that rely on their flippers for effective swimming while possessing wing-like appendages for flight.

They are called chinstrap penguins because of the distinctive, thin black stripe that runs across the base of their skulls. They can dive as fast as 70 meters and seize food at 10 meters in around 30 seconds, which is remarkable. Their propensity for diving at night is a typical behavior. Chinstrap penguins deposit their eggs in late November; the young hatch in early January.