National Penguin Day, also dubbed Penguin Awareness Day, is marked on Jan. 20 in the United States.

There are about 20 million breeding pairs of penguins that are estimated to be living in the Antarctic region currently, according to a report from the British Antarctic Survey. They are largely concentrated in the coastal region, the report added.

Significance

National Penguin Day is used to raise awareness about the dangers faced by the species, such as the looming threat of climate change.

The U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service predicted last year that Antarctica's emperor penguins are facing extinction, and may become a thing of the past by the end of the century, the Washington Post reported. This was largely attributed to global greenhouse gas emissions as the melting ice was preventing them from being able to breed, feed and protect themselves.

How to mark the day

Going to a local zoo that has a penguin exhibit may be the obvious choice for many. However, watching movies and documentaries that are climate change-themed may also be a good idea.

These can include "South Pacific," "Chasing Ice," "Our Planet," "A Plastic Ocean," "Before The Flood," and "The Inconvenient Truth." You can also help raise awareness about National Penguin Day on various social media platforms using "#PenguinAwarenessDay," according to daysoftheyear.com.

Lesser-known facts

Penguins work in shifts to perform their parental duties, according to the British Antarctic Survey. The length of the shifts varies with species. While some can include daily changes, the emperor penguin parents usually go on for more than a month.

The deepest recorded penguin dive was 535 meters deep in the ocean. The record-holder is a female emperor penguin, who was reportedly searching for squid and fish.

Male penguins gift pebbles to woo females, BBC reported. These pebbles are used to make nests that are required to hatch eggs. The pebble acts as an acknowledgement of their relationship, the report added.

Emperor penguins are seen in Dumont d'Urville, Antarctica April 10, 2012. Counting emperor penguins in their icy Antarctic habitat was not easy until researchers used new technology to map the birds from space, and they received a pleasant penguin surpris
Emperor penguins are seen in Dumont d'Urville, Antarctica April 10, 2012. Counting emperor penguins in their icy Antarctic habitat was not easy until researchers used new technology to map the birds from space, and they received a pleasant penguin surprise for their efforts. Reuters / Stringer .