Emperor Penguins Facts

Penguins almost certainly derive from a fling ancestor and a small one at that – probably similar in appearance to modern diving petrels or to the auks of the northern hemisphere. If a bird still wants to fly and yet use its wings for swimming underwater it must remain small. As the Great Auck testified, losing the power of flight allows birds to grow larger, limiting heat loss from the body and also enabling them to live in colder waters. Many fossil penguins approximate in size to the present – day Emperor of Antarctica – 4 ft(1.2m) tall – while the  largest stood 20 in (0.5m) taller – almost up to man’s shoulder. One long – extinct giant appropriately named Anthropornis (the man bird) was found in Antarctica.

The Emperor Penguins dive up to 530 m (1,750 ft) for the period of 20 min. - holding.  They have record for the longest and deepest dive of a bird.

Emperor Penguins are considered the 5th heaviest bird that is currently in existence.

The only penguins to breed during the winter and endure breeding in a severe climate are the Emperor Penguins.

Adelies, together with the larger Emperors, are the only two penguin species found on the lonely continent of the Antarctic, somewhat at odds with popular belief. But even here they may not entirely escape the effects of humans.