They slowly turn and rotate members in and out, somewhat like a radar image of a hurricane, taking turns being at the coldest outermost layer. The youngest members stay in the middle, where it’s warmest, while adults form the outer areas. These colonies are referred to as “rookeries,” “waddles,” or “penguineries.”ĭuring times of exposure to the harsh Antarctic winds, penguins form a huddled circle. These colonies consist of thousands of members, with 5,000 being a conservative estimate and 10,000 being among the larger colonies. While at sea, a group of penguins is known as a “raft.” On land, however, penguins form into vast colonies. Do emperor penguins socialize?Įmperor penguins have been known to work together while foraging, and they share many behaviors with other species of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic penguin. And to deal with water pressure during dives, penguins have evolved solid bones as opposed to the hollow ones common among flying birds. To withstand the cold, emperor penguins reduce their metabolism and blood flow to non-essential organs. They can dive to depths of almost 550 metres (1800 feet), staying underwater for almost 20 minutes at a time. We’re so proud to partner with them – learn more here.Name: Emperor Penguin ( Aptenodytes forsteri)Ĭonservation status: Unknown according to IUCNĭiet: Main diet of fish, but also crustaceans and cephalopodsĪppearance: Black heads and backs, white bellies with yellow trim around the neckĮmperor penguins hunt for fish and other marine life in the open seas or in cracks in the ice. If you love penguins as much as we do, we recommend checking out the Penguin Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation that raises funds to protect and enhance Phillip Island’s natural environment through research, conservation and education programs carried out by Phillip Island Nature Parks. Once a penguin reaches breeding age (two to three years old), it will likely live into its teens and sometimes beyond. On average penguins live to only about seven years old but can live to be much longer. This means they’ll try anything that will fit in their beaks including anchovies, pilchard, bits of jellyfish and squid.
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