SAN ANTONIO – If you’ve visited SeaWorld or seen penguins on tv or in person, you’ve probably seen them sneeze and not even realized it.
Penguins are typically characterized as cute, tuxedo-wearing birds who can’t fly but their sneezes aren’t as adorable as one might think.
SeaWorld San Antonio sent KSAT a video of several resident Gentoo and chinstrap penguins sneezing prompted by a visitor who asked if the birds sneeze.
“The answer is yes,” said SeaWorld spokesperson Chuck Cureau. “They have a gland in their beak, the supraorbital gland, that separates salt from the bloodstream and prevents them from dehydrating due to ingesting saltwater. Throughout the day they ‘sneeze,’ expelling saltwater from their nares - a bird’s nostrils.”
Check out all that salty spray in the video player above. 🤢
If you’re a a lover of all things penguins, we have some exciting news for you. Not to be a tease, but stay tuned for penguin partnership that will make you waddle.