Emperor penguin ( Aptenodytes forsteri )
Emperor penguin - Emperor penguin information - Emperor penguin facts
The Emperor penguin inhabits coasts of the Antarctic continent, the Antarctic Ocean and sea ice. It is a huge bird with the height of 1.2 m (4 feet). Its weight is up to 45 kg (about 100 lb). It has got a thick coat of feathers – a black and white coat while the white colour is in the frontal part and black on the back and the head. Its neck has got yellowish colour.
Aptenodytes forsteri is over 40 times heavier than the smallest penguin, the Little blue (Audyprula minor). It rarely lives outside the Arctic Circle, which makes it the most southerly living bird in the world. Moreover it also breeds during winter when temperature is about -20 Celsius Degrees and wind can reach the speed of 200 km per hour (125mph). To exaggerate such extreme conditions there is no day-light all day long. They breed almost in total darkness. In order to survive in such extreme conditions they have got a two-layer fur dense coat, then fat reserves and last but not least the flippers also reduce the heat loss. They also live in huge colonies which number may vary from 500 to 25 000 pair. This colony also reduces the heat loss. Otherwise most of them would not be able to survive in such horrifying conditions.
Penguins feed on sea fish, crustaceans, squids etc. Although penguins cannot fly they are exceptionally great swimmers. Their flippers make them very strong and powerful in water. They can spend almost 20 minutes in underwater and can reach depths of 250 metres! There is one egg which is incubated by the male penguin after two months. Newborns have got 20 percent mortality during their first year. First breeding occurs at the age of 3. There are approximately 200 000 penguins living in the nature and their longevity is about 20 years.
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