What is a hypothesized reason why King, Rockhopper, and Macaroni penguins purposefully swallow stones?
Answer
To help reduce buoyancy when diving or to quell hunger during fasts
Theories regarding the ingestion of stones suggest they serve several mechanical or physiological purposes, including reducing buoyancy when diving, suppressing hunger pangs during fasts, or helping chicks grind tough crustacean exoskeletons.
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