Meet our featured animal: the emperor penguin!
Here are five fun facts about emperor penguins:
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The emperor penguin is the largest of 17 species of penguin at 1.15 m (45 in.) tall.
- Emperor penguins are specially adapted to living in a cold environment. They have
four layers of scale-like feathers and large amounts of fat.
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They can dive deeper than any other bird – as deep as 565 m (1850 ft.) – and they can stay underwater for more than 20 minutes.
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Every winter (which begins in March in Antarctica), emperor penguins traverse up 80 km (50 mi.) across the ice to reach stable breeding grounds.
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A male emperor penguin must use his own body to create a safe, warm environment for his egg because there are no nesting supplies available on the ice mass. He balances the egg on his feet and covers it with a warm layer of feathered skin called a brood pouch.
Learn more at our emperor penguin facts page!
