Quick Facts
- Type
- Bird
- Size
- About 110–120 cm tall
- Weight
- 22–45 kg
- Habitat
- Sea ice and surrounding waters of Antarctica
- Diet
- Fish, squid, and krill
- Active Time
- Active by day (diurnal)
- Lifespan
- About 20 years
Field Notes
- Males incubate the single egg on their feet for about two months without eating.
- They huddle in tight groups, taking turns at the warm center, to survive blizzards.
- Emperor penguins can dive over 500 m deep and stay down for up to 20 minutes.
About the Emperor Penguin
The emperor penguin is the tallest and heaviest of all penguins, living only in Antarctica. It endures the harshest breeding conditions of any bird, raising chicks through the brutal polar winter. After the female lays a single egg, the male balances it on his feet under a fold of skin and fasts for around two months in the cold and dark, while males huddle together for warmth. A superb diver, the emperor penguin can plunge hundreds of meters deep and stay underwater for many minutes to catch fish and squid.
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Or spin for another random animal on the explorer, or browse all species in the full directory.