Emperor Penguins:
Habitat, Diet, and Lifespan
The emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) is the largest penguin species, found exclusively on and around the Antarctic continent. It feeds primarily on fish, squid, and Antarctic krill.
Quick Facts About the Emperor Penguin
Scientific name: Aptenodytes forsteri
Height: 100–120 cm (39–47 in)
Weight: 22–45 kg (49–99 lb)
Lifespan: 15–20 years in the wild
Habitat: Antarctic continent and surrounding Southern Ocean
Diet: Fish, squid, Antarctic krill
Conservation status (IUCN): Near Threatened
What Is the Emperor Penguin's Natural Habitat?
Emperor penguins are found exclusively in Antarctica, making them the only penguin species to breed on the Antarctic continent itself. Breeding colonies are distributed around the coastline of Antarctica, typically on stable fast ice, sea ice that is attached to the shore. Approximately 50 known colonies exist, concentrated between 66°S and 78°S latitude.
Unlike the king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus), which breeds on ice-free subantarctic islands, emperor penguins breed directly on sea ice during the Antarctic winter, enduring some of the most extreme conditions faced by any bird species. Breeding sites are selected for proximity to open water, which adults use for foraging.
Emperor penguins are highly adapted to cold environments and do not construct nests. Instead, they incubate a single egg on their feet beneath an insulating brood pouch, standing exposed to Antarctic winds and temperatures as low as -60°C (-76°F).
What Is the Emperor Penguin's Diet?
Emperor penguins are pursuit divers that forage in the open waters of the Southern Ocean. Their diet consists primarily of Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarctica), squid, and Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba). The proportion of each prey type varies by season and location.
Emperor penguins are among the deepest-diving birds on Earth. Recorded dives routinely exceed 400 m (1,310 ft), with maximum recorded depths surpassing 560 m (1,840 ft). Dive durations can exceed 20 minutes. Unlike the chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica), which feeds primarily near the surface on krill, emperor penguins pursue prey at extreme depths across wide foraging ranges.
What Is the Emperor Penguin's Lifespan?
In the wild, emperor penguins typically live between 15 and 20 years. Some individuals reach 20 years or beyond, though survival rates decline with age. Individuals in managed care have lived into their mid-20s.
Emperor penguins reach sexual maturity at approximately 3 years of age but generally do not begin breeding until 5–6 years old. The breeding cycle begins in March or April, when adults trek inland across sea ice to reach established colony sites. The single egg is laid in May or June, and the chick fledges by December, giving it time to build condition before the following winter.
The male emperor penguin incubates the egg alone for approximately 65 days while the female returns to sea to forage. Males fast throughout this incubation period, surviving on stored fat reserves while enduring Antarctic winter conditions.
Does the Emperor Penguin Have Any Natural Predators?
At sea, emperor penguins are preyed upon by leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) and orca (Orcinus orca). Leopard seals patrol the edges of sea ice and target penguins as they enter or exit the water. Orca are capable of coordinated hunting strategies and have been observed targeting emperor penguins in open water.
On land and ice, adult emperor penguins have no significant natural predators. Eggs and small chicks may be taken by south polar skuas (Stercorarius maccormicki) when left briefly unattended, though this risk is limited by the colony's dense social structure and cold-season breeding timing.
The emperor penguin is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Climate change poses the primary long-term threat to the species, as rising temperatures reduce the extent and stability of Antarctic sea ice on which emperor penguins depend for breeding. Reduced sea ice availability shortens the breeding season and can expose chicks to open water before they are capable of swimming. Unlike the little penguin (Eudyptula minor), which faces threats from coastal development and introduced predators, emperor penguin survival is tied almost entirely to the stability of sea ice extent across Antarctica.
Frequently Asked Questions About Emperor Penguins
What Is the Emperor Penguin's Scientific Name?
The emperor penguin's scientific name is Aptenodytes forsteri. It is named after the naturalist Johann Reinhold Forster, who accompanied James Cook on his second voyage to the Southern Ocean. The genus Aptenodytes is shared with the king penguin.
What Is the Height of an Emperor Penguin?
Emperor penguins stand between 100 and 120 cm (39–47 in) tall, making them the largest of all living penguin species. Adults can weigh up to 45 kg (99 lb) at the start of the breeding season before their extended fast. Height and weight vary between individuals and between the breeding and post-breeding seasons.
What Is an Emperor Penguin Fun Fact?
Emperor penguins huddle in large, tightly packed groups to conserve heat during the Antarctic winter, with colonies sometimes exceeding several thousand individuals. Individuals rotate continuously from the cold outer edge of the huddle to the warmer center. This behavior allows the colony to collectively maintain a survivable thermal environment in temperatures that would be lethal to an isolated bird.