One of the 15 penguins on WAnimals
Birds · Sphenisciformes · Spheniscidae
Aptenodytes forsteri
At very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future.
The largest of all the penguins, it incubates its egg on its feet through the Antarctic winter, enduring temperatures as low as -60 °C.
Weight
22 kg – 45 kg
Size
1.1 m – 1.3 m
Life expectancy
20 years
Diet
Piscivore
Feeds mainly on fish.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Social structure
Colony
Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.
Sighting difficulty
Hard
Estimated population
Some 238,000 breeding pairs spread across 46 colonies according to the first global satellite survey (2009 season); the IUCN projects that the population will halve by the 2080s
AI-generated images: illustrations, not photographs.
Sources consulted: SeaWorld/Busch Gardens; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Animal Diversity Web; Global Penguin Society; Encyclopedia Westarctica; Wildlife Free; IUCN, comunicado de 9 de abril de 2026: las imágenes de satélite desde 2009 muestran descenso continuado y se proyecta que la población se reduzca a la mitad en la década de 2080 || Fretwell et al. 2012, PLOS ONE (censo global por satélite); IUCN, comunicado de 9 de abril de 2026 || IUCN, comunicado de 9 de abril de 2026: pasa de Casi amenazado a En peligro por la pérdida de hielo marino
Best time: November to March
The pins mark the parks where its presence is documented.
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Emperor Penguin — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
The emperor penguin is classified as endangered. Organisations such as the IUCN, WWF and the Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programmes is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
Based on what we already know about emperor penguin.
Share an experience, a fun fact or a tip for seeing the emperor penguin.
Be the first to comment.
