K;

KRILL
(Euphausia superba)
Vast schools of reddish tiny crustaceans
Cruise around icy Antarctic stations.
They colour large parts of the South Polar Sea,
Their swarms concocting a nutritious tea;
For penguins, seabirds, seals and fish
All consider the Krill a most favourite dish.
Baleen whales, along with giant squid too,
All love to find Krill Tea on the menu.
But what do they eat, these minute shrimp?
Their diet is small, but they do not skimp
On plankton, diatoms and algae too.
They gulp them with glee. Wouldn’t you?
Yes, these fascinating little herbivores
Work very hard at their culinary chores,
Collecting their repast with the greatest of skill
(And as it’s so fresh it never makes them ill!)
And so off they dart, propelled by swimmer legs
To an area where females each lay twenty thousand eggs!
They do this in just a single season of spawning
(It leaves them little time for scratching or yawning)
Yes, with these facts firmly implanted in mind
I am sure you’ll agree it’s most difficult to find
A more interesting, unique creature today,
To satisfy our alphabet letter "K".
But wait! There’s more that you should really note
About these tiny krill creatures in oceans afloat.
It relates to a case of sound common-sense
When krill are threatened by creatures immense.
When frightened they display intriguing, rare habits,
Exiting as though they were all startled rabbits!
But in order to confuse their enemies well
Each one leaves behind its own shed shell*
Which slowly floats down in the icy brine,
While the krill have flitted off elsewhere to dine.
Perhaps in this trait there’s a lesson for all;
When sorely afraid, don’t give out shriek or call,
Just scatter your garb and streak away
And survive to fight yet another day!
*(EXOSKELETON; a complete and perfect cast-off shell.
An escape method of Euphausia superba).