I just have to get something off my chest… Penguins, polar bears and igloos do not go together! Penguins and polar bears are not found together (unless in a zoo) and neither of them would live in an igloo!! There – I feel a bit better now.
Every winter the place is awash with cute ‘winter scenes’ involving polar bears and penguins – advertising, Christmas cards, wrapping paper, children’s clothing, picture books… the list goes on.
Last week I spotted a winter scene which had been built in the Christmas department of a Garden Centre with the happy couple (polar bear and penguin) sitting in front of an igloo fishing through the ice. Good grief! Even the Coca Cola company shows polar bears and penguins together. You would think that someone in that massive company would have pointed out the advertising agency’s mistake.
Polar bears live in the Arctic, penguins in the southern hemisphere particularly in Antarctica – they won’t be partying together!
Now, on to the matter of penguins and igloos. I’m pretty sure no penguin has ever built an igloo. Correct me if I am wrong, but I don’t think there is anyone south of the equator who would live in a house or shelter built from snow blocks. Yet here we have Pingu, living in his igloo.
I suppose the flaw in my argument is that neither penguins nor polar bears drink Coca Cola (particularly out of the bottle – they should really be using a glass of course!), nor do penguins play the accordion, wear party hats or eat party food, but having them live in an igloo is just all wrong!
I try not to let it annoy me, but can you tell that I am not succeeding? As a teacher, I often have to correct children’s confusion over where these animals come from, so perhaps that’s why I have such a bee in my bonnet about it.
And now a silly joke to finish off with – it is one of my favourites,
Q. Why do polar bears not eat penguins*?
A. Because they can’t get the wrappers off.
* I think this might be a particularly British joke – Penguins are milk chocolate covered chocolate sandwich biscuit bars filled with chocolate cream.
Does anyone else find the polar bear/penguin thing annoying, or is it just me?
November 29, 2015 at 12:32 pm
Oh yes, yes, YES! I am so with you on this issue.
Cute as they are, they could not be living farther apart!
December 1, 2015 at 11:12 am
Oh good – I’m glad it’s not just me! 😀
November 29, 2015 at 3:28 pm
I guess I have never equated any of those images with reality, but, if I must be honest, I also had never thought about where each of them lives. So blame it on my ignorance.
December 1, 2015 at 11:13 am
I only started to find it annoying when I realised that they lived so far apart – for years I had no idea!
November 29, 2015 at 4:45 pm
Heehee… you made me laugh with this one. I was actually saying to the OH just the other day whether or not Polar bears could live in the Antarctic if they were transported there, given that the ice cap at the north pole is supposedly receding and making life difficult for them. They might like a change of diet from seals and walruses. Of course the penguins may have different ideas on the matter. 😀
December 1, 2015 at 11:14 am
You make a good point – I wonder if they would be able to survive in each other’s habitat. If the Arctic keeps melting at the rate it is, then polar bears might be glad of the move. 😉
November 29, 2015 at 6:31 pm
Love this rant, Elaine. You’re so pedantic, but we teachers often are. Of course you’re quite correct. We get Penguins here in Florida, and I have no trouble at all getting the wrappers off. 😃
December 1, 2015 at 11:15 am
I wish I wasn’t so pedantic about this (and a few other things I must admit) but maybe you are right about it being a teacher thing!
November 29, 2015 at 7:18 pm
Heh heh, can’t say it’s ever really bothered me 😉
December 1, 2015 at 11:15 am
I am working hard now to let it stop bothering me… 🙂
December 1, 2015 at 8:20 pm
Good luck 😉
December 4, 2015 at 9:25 pm
It’s a struggle… 😉
November 29, 2015 at 8:25 pm
I thnk we can probably blame Disney that cuteness wins out over geographical facts. Maybe Disney ought to make a film about climate change showing the igloos melting and the Penguins having to move although it might be a bit grim after “Happy Feet”. Penguin biscuits are very similar to our Aussie Tim Tams, we can get them in Australia but only in specialist stores usually.
December 1, 2015 at 11:18 am
I hadn’t thought about the Disney influence – you could well be right. Do Tim Tams have the same sort of wrapper? Of course, the joke wouldn’t be the same even if they do have the same wrapper!
December 1, 2015 at 12:32 pm
No, Tim Tams have a different wrapper and taste slightly different but the composition of the biscuit is the same but no, you can’t use them in the joke.
November 30, 2015 at 11:04 am
Hahaha. Of course, you haven’t considered the possibility that penguins like to visit polar bears for a little break at Christmas?? And, if they’re far from home, they’ve probably booked into an AirB&B igloo for a few days 😉
December 1, 2015 at 11:19 am
Hee hee! I had not considered that possibility! I love the idea of them booking into an AirBnB igloo. 😀
November 30, 2015 at 11:17 am
I can’t remember ever seeing ads like these. Maybe we don’t have them but I’m sure there are some which are equally as annoying in their inaccuracies.
December 1, 2015 at 11:22 am
I hadn’t thought about you not seeing these kinds of adverts, but I suppose it will be because your Christmas is not snowy/cold like ours. Now that I have pointed this out – maybe you will notice other inaccuracies!
December 1, 2015 at 11:53 am
I will be on the lookout now.
November 30, 2015 at 4:12 pm
I can’t say I’ve ever noticed any images of penguins and polars living together. Except at the zoo.
And now I want a Penguin (the chocolate bar, that is).
December 1, 2015 at 11:24 am
I hope your Penguin craving has settled down – or have you sent for some? 🙂
March 30, 2016 at 11:01 pm
Elaine! I totally understand your rant. I teach kindergarten in Canada, and I face this problem regularly….problem is, many of my workmates do not see the point of correcting the children’s misconceptions. Child-led play-based education has it’s downside as well!
March 31, 2016 at 6:55 pm
Hooray – another person like me! I’ve decided recently that I can accept the penguins/polar bears and igloo things as cartoon/make believe as long as we teach that it is not the case in nature. Perhaps that thought will help me to cope!