Do you want to learn emperor penguin facts for kids? The emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) is the biggest of all penguins. It is found in Antarctica. Emperor penguins are not only tallest—they are the heaviest penguins in the world. They are also the world’s fifth heaviest birds. Let’s dig deeper into many more interesting emperor penguin facts.
Emperor Penguin Facts for Kids
Habitat: Penguins make breeding habitats in icebergs and ice cliffs.
Distribution: They live in Dion Islands, Antarctic Peninsula, Amundsen Bay, Snow Island, Heard Island, New Zealand, South Georgia, Cape Washington, Victoria Land, Dibble Glacier, and Helley.
Diet: Emperor penguins eat fish, cephalopods, crustaceans, glacial squid, Antarctic krill, bald notothen, hooked squid, and Antarctic silverfish.
Description: Emperor penguins can reach the height of 110–130 cm and weighs 50 to 100 pounds.
They can survive in temperature reaching −40 °C with the winds speed reaching at 144 km/h. Emperor penguins make breeding colonies 18 kilometers offshore.
While diving, penguins reduce the
heart rate in order to consume less oxygen in every possible way. The rate is reduced to 15 – 20 beats per minute.
Vocalizations: Young penguins utter whistle-like calls especially when they are hungry.
Emperor penguins are not only highly social they are great travelers too. They will travel all year round. Penguins can become active anytime—day or night.
They can reach the depths of 869 feet under water. However the maximum diving-depths of an emperor penguin is about 1,755 feet. They can remain submerged for as long as 18 – 20 minutes.
Lifespan: The average lifespan of emperor penguins is about 20 years but they can live probably as long as 50 years.
Predators: Predators of emperor penguins are south polar skua, Southern giant petrels, orcas, and leopard seal.
Population: The overall population of emperor penguins is about 595,000. The population is Near Threatened probably due to the effects of climate change.
