How Emperor Penguins Survive the Coldest Place on Earth

by Bhumi Periwal, age 9

Did you know that the male emperor penguin can survive without food for up to 115 days? Antarctica, the coldest place on Earth, is where you can find emperor penguins. These types of birds cannot fly but use their wings to swim. On the slippery ice, they often sled on their fronts.

It's intriguing how many sounds an emperor penguin can make. They can whistle, cluck and squawk. Emperor penguins are as tall as an average fourth grader. Their diet consists of krill, fish and squid.

Most species have strictly set parenting roles for who hunts and who protects the young. Emperor penguins switch the parenting roles back and forth. While the female goes to the sea to hunt for food, the male huddles up and withstands hurricane-force winds and cold temperatures while protecting the egg.

The male and female take turns hunting and protecting the egg for nine weeks. The mating season for these birds is in the fall, and the chick hatches in late winter; however, the female can have only one baby at a time.

Penguins need a sustainable and clean ecosystem in which to live. Climate change is negatively affecting the habitats of penguins and many other animals.

[Source: National Geographic Kids]