Dear Nancy,

Tomorrow is President Obama’s second inauguration. Here in Washington D.C., there will be parties and presidential balls, and lots of people in tuxedos. So what better time than now to celebrate the tuxedo-clad birds of our planet’s southern side? That’s right: penguins!

Today is National Penguin Awareness Day. And not just the iconic emperor penguins you see on television and in movies. There are 17 different species of penguin on our planet. Take a moment to admire all 17 including the Emperor, Magellanic, and Galápagos in our Penguin Spotlight Slideshow. Then tell us what your favorite penguin species is!

As majestic as they are, penguins can’t escape the harsh realities of climate change that our planet is facing. Melting sea ice is threatening their homes and their food supply. Many species of penguins are being forced by rising temperatures to move to new, less hospitable territory. Some are in danger of dying out. Penguins are just one of the many climate change “coal mine canaries.” And we must pay attention.

Protecting threatened and endangered birds is what EDF was founded upon. Today, we have 17 very special penguins to remind us why we must remain steadfast in our mission to fight the climate crisis and protect our treasured wildlife.

So let’s take a moment to appreciate the wonders of our wildlife with these handsome penguins on parade … strutting their stuff! My favorite are the Adélie–who’s yours?

Enjoy the show!

Sincerely, Emily Stevenson Manager, Online Membership