Emperor+Penguin

=Emperor Penguin = toc

Characteristics
 The **Emperor Penguin** is the tallest and heaviest of all the penguins The male and female look very similar and can weigh about as much as a third or fourth grader and are about the same height (4 feet tall). They have black flippers and a white belly that fades into yellow up their neck and becomes bright yellow around their ears. The funny thing is that all types of penguins are not able to fly. They are birds, but they have adapted to life at sea and on land and their stiff flippers help them swim. Emperor penguins use vocal calls to communicate with their babies and mates.

[[image:EP6.jpg width="169" height="169" align="right" caption="At the bottom of the world"]]
 The **Emperor Penguins** only live in Antarctica and almost half of a million live there.  They breed near the coast and try to stay sheltered from the wind.

 Fish, squid, and krill (its like little shrimp) make up an **Emperor Penguin's** meals. When they go hunting, they can stay underwater for up to 18 minutes and dive almost 6 football fields deep if they have to. Its body shape and lungs make this penguin a great hunter in the water.

[[image:EP7.jpg width="182" height="118" align="right" caption="Go catch your dinner!"]]
 An **Emperor Penguin ** chick is in danger from predators when its a very young chick. Parents and babies have to make sure to stick close together because big flying birds will swoop down and snatch one up for dinner. In the water, the Emperor Penguins have 2 predators: the killer whale and the leopard seal.

 The female lays one egg, which the daddy penguin then keeps warm while the momma penguin goes back to the coast to hunt for food. When the momma comes back, she takes the baby that has hatched from the egg and takes care of while the daddy goes hunting. The parents keep trading baby-duty until the chicks are old enough to make the trip to the coast with the parents. This is where the parents teach the youngsters how to hunt for themselves.

Other Interesting Facts
 The average life span of an **Emperor Penguin ** is 20 years, although some penguins have been known to live much longer. Their feathers are what mostly keep them warm, plus they have a layer of fat under their skin that is over an inch thick. This fat is called blubber and makes it harder for the **Emperor Penguins** to move around, but it keeps them warmer. Their feather also are waterproof which keeps them warm while swimming. Swimming, walking, and shivering are three ways these cold-loving birds stay warm.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">[[image:EP8.jpg width="182" height="133" align="right" caption="Hey! Stop taking our food!"]]
<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> The species has been bred outside Antarctica at the San Diego Sea World; more than 20 penguin chicks have hatched there since 1980. In the wild, **Emperor Penguins** are very sensitive to weather changes. If its too warm, more ice melts and their habitat shrinks. If its too cold, there is too much ice and its harder to hunt. Also, fishing boats take up too much of their food and the penguins cannot find enough. Tourism has affected their habitats because too many humans invade their space. The United States is considering putting the **Emperor Penguin** on the Endangered Species list. I think that is a good reason to study and admire these awesome animals from afar.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Totally Amazing Parents
<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Take a look at this <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 130%;">[|video] <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> of **Emperor Penguins** raising babies and hunting in the water.