Emperors of the South Pole

Emperors of the South Pole

We put on our warmest coats, gloves, hats and boots and headed out to the meet one of Antarcticas most iconic animals- the Emperor Penguin. These tall flightless birds live in a harsh climate, but they are built to survive.

Emperor Fun Facts: 

• These penguins can grow up to 45 inches and weigh up to 85 lbs! They are the largest penguins on earth.
• These birds huddle together for warmth. The birds rotate from the interior of the group to the center.
• They can dive 1,800 ft deep and stay under water for up to 20 minutes. They can dive deeper than any bird on the planet.
• Females lay one egg. The males incubate the eggs on top of their feet. They cover the eggs with their brood pouch.
• Females head out to the open ocean to gorge on food while the eggs are incubating.
• When the chicks hatch, the females and males switch duties.
• These big gorgeous birds are listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN.

We had fun watching these birds. They are very curious. We can not imagine living in the frigid temps though or swimming so much time in that cold ocean. This horse & elephant miss the warm weather.