Emperor penguin
The emperor penguin is the largest species of penguin and seabird, characterized by its impressive size and unique adaptations for survival in the harsh Antarctic environment. Standing between 3.5 to 4.5 feet tall and weighing between 55 to 100 pounds, these flightless birds are equipped with thick blubber and dense feathers that insulate them against sub-zero temperatures and strong winds. Their striking black and white plumage, complemented by vibrant orange markings around their necks, helps them blend into their icy surroundings.
Emperor penguins are remarkable divers, capable of reaching depths of 870 feet and holding their breath for up to 18 minutes while hunting for fish, squid, and crustaceans. They breed during the Antarctic winter, forming large colonies known as rookeries, where they alternate incubation duties for their single egg. The males endure fasting for the duration of incubation, which lasts around 40 to 50 days, while the females forage for food.
Despite their resilience, emperor penguins face significant threats from climate change and habitat loss, leading to a decline in some colonies. Recognized as Near Threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, their future remains uncertain as environmental conditions continue to evolve.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Emperor penguin
The emperor penguin is not only the largest penguin, but also the largest seabird. It cannot fly but is able to dive 870 feet (260 meters) below the frigid water for eighteen minutes at a time. In its frozen habitat of sub-zero temperatures and fierce winds, it survives quite well due to its thick blubber and feathers.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Sphenisciformes
Family: Spheniscidae
Genus: Aptenodytes
Species: Forsteri
Emperor penguins live throughout Antarctica and the surrounding islands. Emperor penguins have large, round bodies which are between 3 1/2 and 4 1/2 feet (100 to 130 centimeters) tall. When they are swimming, one might say they are long, but on land they awkwardly waddle upright and are tall. They weigh 55 to 100 pounds (25 to 45 kilogram). The bodies of the penguins are large and round because of the thick blubber, or fat, inside their bodies. This blubber helps them survive the frigid water, sub-zero temperatures, and hurricane winds in the Antarctic. Their bodies also are covered with two dozen feathers per square inch (which is two dozen feathers per 6 1/2 square centimeters). The feathers are short and stiff with soft, downy bases. They tightly overlap each other and trap a layer of warm air close to their skin. Such dense plumage, or feathering, also helps keep them comfortably warm. Because they waddle close to the ground, less cold air can circulate around their bodies and make them cold. Even their nasal passages are designed to prevent heat loss when they exhale.
As is characteristic of penguins in general, emperor penguins have clean, white fronts and black backs and wings. Their heads appear to be even darker black than their backs and wings. They have small bright-orange markings about the sides of their necks which blend slightly into the white of their chests. Their beaks are black except for an orange stripe on either side.
Emperor penguins feed on fish, squid, shrimp, and crustaceans which they catch with great skill, even though they can swim only three to five miles (five to eight kilometers) per hour. Their paddle-like wings are powerful to propel them through the water, and their feet and tails steer them smoothly to depths of 870 feet (260 meters) for periods of up to 18 minutes. As they swim they must be watchful for leopard seals and killer whales, which are their only predators in this distant habitat.
The penguins breed on the solid ice near the shelter of an ice cliff, often many miles inland. They form large colonies at the breeding sites called rookeries. Emperor penguins mate beginning in March and continue until December, which is winter at the south pole. A rookerie may have up to 6,000 penguins. The female does not build any sort of nest since no nesting material is available. She lays a single egg sometime during May, June, or July. While the female returns to the ocean to feed, the male cradles the egg on his feet and incubates it, keeping it warm as he shelters it with a fold of skin from his belly. He incubates the egg for 40 to 50 days amid temperatures which may drop to 40 degrees below zero Fahrenheit (which is also 40 degrees below zero Celsius). Flocks of males often huddle together to stay warm. The female returns shortly before the egg hatches in order to complete the incubation period, which is typically 65 days total. The male then begins eating to regain his body weight, since he may go without food from March until July, which is 110 to 115 days. The penguin chick stays under the protective warmth of its mother's body for another 5 to 11 weeks, being fed by both parents. They also must protect it from the giant petrels, which are large seabirds that prey on the penguin chicks. The young is independent at this time, but will not be old enough to mate until it is three to six years old.
Emperor penguins may live up to 40 years, however, their average life span is between 15 and 20 years. In the late 2010s, experts noticed that some colonies had changed location or merged with other colonies, some had gone down in population, and some had almost no surviving chicks. It was noted that these changes could have been caused by the changing climate in the Antarctic and depleted food sources. In 2019, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List for Threatened Species listed the emperor penguin as Near Threatened (NT), citing climate change and habitat loss as the reason for the decline.
Bibliography
“Emperor Penguins.” IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 28 Aug. 2019, www.iucnredlist.org/species/22697752/157658053. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
“Emperor Penguin.” National Geographic Kids, kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/facts/emperor-penguin. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
Wilber, Sarah. “Aptenodytes Forsteri (Emperor Penguin).” Animal Diversity Web, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Aptenodytes‗forsteri/. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.