Penguin (Emperor) - Overview

Order: Sphenisciformes

Family: Spheniscidae

Species: Aptenodytes forsteri

IUCN Red List Status: Near threatened

Distribution: Antarctica.

Habitat: Lives only on pack ice and in the surrounding oceans.

Size: Emperor penguins measure around 112cm. in length and they weigh anything from 20 - 40kg.

Lifespan: Roughly 15 - 20 years.
      
Diet: Fish, crustaceans and squid.

Description: This is the largest species of penguin and it is the size and the colourful plumage of this species which makes it so attractive and popular. Its head, back and upper wing surfaces are black; its belly and underwing surfaces are white. There is an orange patch close to the ear, yellow colouring at the throat and a lilac-coloured line along the edges of its long and slender bill.

Territory: Emperor penguins are very sociable creatures and live in colonies of anything from five hundred to twenty thousand pairs of penguins. It is very rare to find an emperor penguin living outside Antarctica.  Although emperor penguins will only feed at sea they will travel over 100km inland to find suitable breeding sites.