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Emperor penguin

Emperor penguin

Emperor penguins are the largest species of penguin – an average bird stands at 114 cm tall. These penguins live solely in the Antarctic, huddling together in the thousands to escape the wind and conserve warmth. Emperor penguins spend the long winter on the ice, even breeding during this time. Females lay one egg and then leave it behind to hunt for as long as two months. Male emperors keep the new eggs warm but do not sit on them, instead balancing the eggs on their feet and covering them with feathered skin, or brood pouch. During this time, the males do not eat. When the females return, they regurgitate food for the newly hatched chicks while the males take the opportunity to hunt for themselves.