Emperor+Penguin+2010S

Emperor Penguin By Aditi and Erin

__Characteristics__: Emperor penguins are 4 feet tall and weigh about 50-85 lbs.They have black flippers and back. They have a white belly which has yellow at the top.They have bright yellow around their ears. They can't fly,but can swim. Emperor penguins use sound calls to communicate with their mates and chicks. The Emperor penguin is the world's largest penguin. The Emperor penguin lays it's single egg during the coldest time of the year, when temperatures drop to as low as -80 degrees F and winds reach velocities of up to 112 miles per hour. Emperors have by far the deepest and the longest dives for any birds. They often reach depths of 700 feet,and can stay suberged for up to 18 minutes. Emperors are insulted in part by dense network of feathers- about 70 feathers per square inch.

__Habitat__:Emperor penguins live on the coasts of Antarctica. Their strong claws of their feet enable them to walk on the slippery icy surface.Toboganning,{sliding on their bellies} allows them to move faster on ice. 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.

__Diet__:They eat krill,squid,and other fish.When the food is in short supply,they eat algae as a last resort. The guano{poop} turns green.The chick eats the food regurgitated by it's parents till it's old enough to hunt on it's own. Fish, squid, and krill {it's like little shrimp} make up an Emperor penguin's meals. When they go hunting, they can stay underwater up to 18 minutes and dive almost 6 football fields deep if they have to. It's two body shape and lungs make this penguin a great hunter in the water.

__Predators__: The Emperor penguin's predators include birds and aquatic mammals; the Southern Giant Petrel is the predominatavian predator,responsible for up to 34% of chick deaths in some colonies. The south Polar Skua only scavenges for dead chicks,as the chicks are too large who are to be attacked by the time of it's annual arrival in the colony.The primary aquatic predators are both mammals:the leopard Seals,which takes some adults birds,as well as fledglings soon after they enter the water,and the Orca which takes adult birds. If one of a breeding pair dies or is killed during the breeding season,the surviving parent must abandon it's egg or young and go back to the sea to feed.At sea, leopard seals and killer whales are Emperor penguin's main predators .Seabirds like petrels and skuas prey on the chick.

__Babies__:The female lays one egg, which the daddy penguin then keeps warm while the mommy penguin goes back to the coast to hunt for food. When the mommy 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 chick is old enough to make the trip to the coast with the parents. This is where the parents teach the youngster how to hunt for themselves.The female penguin lays one egg at a time. { at the end of April or May} The female then transfers the egg to the male. He keeps the egg warm in his brood pouch. The egg hatches after one or two months. The chick is covered with soft fluffy feathers that are not waterproof. The parents keep the chick warm till it's 5 weeks old. When the chick is 5 months old, it molts and grows new waterproof feathers. Then it can go to sea and finds it's own food.

__Interesting Facts__:The average life span for Emperor penguins is 20 years.Some penguins live much longer. They have a coat of fat over an inch thick to keep them warm. They can dive up to 1,750 feet deep and hold their breath for 20 minutes!Their feathers are what mostly keep them warm,plus they have a layer of fat