Emperor Penguin Facts
- This remarkable flightless bird, a giant among its kind, most frequently goes by the fitting common name of the Emperor Penguin. The flightless bird does have a few other general titles, though. These include the very similar Royal Penguin, Great Penguin, and Imperial Penguin.
- Inside of the scientific community, however, the animal’s perhaps much better known by its technical moniker. That particualr term, though, remains somewhat difficult for the average layperson to pronounce. That’s because it bears the formal epithet of Aptenodytes forsteri.
- The creature received that designation due to the efforts of George Robert Gray. The highly respected English zoologist accomplished the first formal acknowledgement of it as a separate and distinct species. He managed that scientifically noteworthy deed in the year 1844.
- This marvel’s extremely notable among scientists for a number of reasons. Among them ranks the fact that it represents one of only two surving members of its genus. It’s also the only known penguin variety on earth to breed during the winter season in its region of the world.
- Sadly, the amazing Emperor Penguin now finds itself in a precarious position. It’s dealing with a greatly reduced population base. This unfortunate state also appears to extend across the entirety of its range. The IUCN therefore currently lists the avian as Near Threatened.
- This biological wonder obviously faces mulitple threats to its continued existence as a species. Like all forms of life on earth today, most of those dangers stem from the actions of man. In its case, these include reduced food availability, and the effects of ongoing climate change.
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Emperor Penguin Physical Description
The majestic Emperor Penguin immediately captures the attention of those individuals fortunate enough to encounter them, especially in the wild. In their case, this occurs for several reasons. That’s true since they’re not just beautiful creatures, but also possessed of highly impressive size.
In that respect, the bird also follows a pattern common to many species around the world. That’s in the fact that it displays a certain degree of the physiological characteristic of sexual dimorphism. In its case, this trait manifests itself in the males being larger than their female counterparts.
Though the males typically attain greater average measurements in terms of both height and mass, the difference usually remains relatively minor. Overall, however, the stunning species reaches a mean height of 3 ft 7 in (1.1 m). In body mass, an average range equals 49 – 99 lb (22 – 45 kg).
The amazing feet of the flightless avian also evolved as fully webbed, which aids in swimming propulsion. These also developed as uniquely adapted for walking on ice. That’s because they have small fleshy patches on the underside to provide it with excellent traction on the slippery surface.
The intriguing product of Nature additionally possesses distinctive flipper-like wings that evolved as adapted for swimming rather than flying. These wings remain quite short and stiff, serving as efficient paddles in the water. They do not, however, allow it the ability to fly in any manner.
Doubtless, however, one of the most striking features of the breathtaking Emperor Penguin remains its color pattern. This begins with a black head, back, and wings. Yet, it also includes a belly and chest that shows a bright white. There’s also a yellow-orange patch on each side of the neck
Those same feathers further lie extremely densely packed close to the body, and also developed as waterproofed in nature. The body has a streamlined shape. On the front of the animal’s head, a relatively long, black beak appears, measuring an average of approximately 3.1 – 3.5 in (8 – 9 cm).
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Aves
- Order: Sphenisciformes
- Family: Spheniscidae
- Genus: Aptenodytes
- Species: A. forsteri
Emperor Penguin Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology
Lamentably, the fabulous Emperor Penguin evolved as endemic to a comparatively restricted portion of the surface of the earth. The precise location of that zone of habitation, though, likely won’t surprise many people, given its very nature. The animal’s native to parts of Antarctica.
Yet, even within the confines of this already limited region, the wonder of Nature only inhabits very specific sections. The creature appears most frequently in East Antarctica, West Antarctica, and the Antarctic Peninsula. Smaller concentrations do, however, occasionally appear elsewhere.
Much like many of its numerous cousins, this truly awesome bird also displays decidedly strong and clear preferences regarding its choice of habitat. Yet, even among its brethren, it stands out in this regard. It requires a unique habitat that’s very tightly linked to the icy environment of the area.
The marvel of evolution’s clearly specially adapted to live on and breed on sea ice. It breeds during the harsh winter, choosing sites on stable pack ice or fast ice near the coastline. These areas provide a comparatively solid platform for nesting and also protect the individuals from predators.
Breeding colonies are typically located along the coastline, where sea ice routinely forms and provides a stable habitat for nesting purposes. Some colonies, however. appear on large ice shelves that extend out from the continent into the Southern Ocean, providing surfaces for its breeding.
Like its kindred in yet another way, the incredible Emperor Penguin feeds entirely as a carnivore. Its main prey consists of smaller varities of fish, squid, and krill, which it catches while diving in the waters of the Southern Ocean. In turn, its own predators often include the leopard seal and orcas.
It lives as a colonial breeder, forming large colonies for that purpose during the winter. These groupings appear on stable sea ice or ice shelves near the coastline. They provide safety in numbers, with adults taking turns to incubate their eggs and raise the chicks while others forage for food.
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