The Olympic Divers of the World, Emperor Penguins

Antarctica is home to multiple species of animals that are truly some of the most majestic in the world. It’s home to seals, whales, some fascinating microscopic creatures, and of course, penguins.  The emperor penguin is considered the biggest and heaviest penguin in Antarctica and can weigh as much as 100 pounds. If you’re curious about these birds that reside in the icy parts of our plant, keep reading!
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Shutterstock

The Deepest Recorded Dive

564 meters was the record-breaking Olympic dive that granted them the title of Olympic divers of the world. That’s around the height of Europe’s tallest building but doubled! These penguins are certainly big swimmers and their resilience and grace are a sight to witness.

Hunting Tactics

The emperor penguin loves to hunt for marine life and one of their favorite dishes on the menu is fish. They hunt for fish in the cracks of ice underwater. They’ll resort to diving underwater at around 550 meters just to catch their meal for the day. Another cool fact is that they can conserve their own energy and reduce their metabolic rate to dive deep into the ocean. By doing so, they reduce their blood flow to nonessential organs to dive deeper and for a longer amount of time.

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Shutterstock

Foraging in Teams

Emperor penguins enjoy spending time with one another while foraging. They will search for food together and form large colonies known as rafts. This group of penguins consists of around 5,000 members and one of the biggest groups can reach up to 10,000 penguins all in one spot.

Emperor Penguins and Their Life Span

Emperor Penguins can live full lives for 15-20 years in the wild. Despite having the tools they need to survive in their harsh environment, they still aren’t protected from predators. One of the biggest preyed upon species that hunt Emperor penguins are giant birds and sometimes even orcas and seals. The Antarctic a harsh environment and animals need to find various ways to survive the winter. Emperor penguins also stop eating for 4 months during their breeding season and will solely rely on their body fat to sustain them. These large penguins are resilient creatures that have found fascinating ways to survive, adapt and thrive in their environment.

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