Emperor penguins are the largest penguins on Earth. Each adult is over a metre tall, and can weigh up to 40 kilograms.
For many months each year, emperors live near the sea in large groups called colonies. However, in May, the weather gets colder and ice covers large areas of ocean. Each colony moves many kilometres from the water.
Sharing the work
There, each mother penguin lays just one egg. Then all the hungry mothers must walk back to the ocean to find food. The father penguins put their eggs on top of the feet, under a special piece of skin called the brood pouch. For two months, the father penguins keep the eggs safe and warm. Antarctica. Most animals leave for warmer places, but the father penguins stay. In this time, without food, a father penguin can lose almost half of his weight.
New life
Then the babies begin to hatch! The mother penguin returns just in time to see her baby come out of its egg. The chick is then moved to her bored pouch. This can be difficult. If the chick falls, it can freeze quickly, so the penguin parents must be very careful! Once this is done, the father penguin can go back to the ocean to find food.
Growing up
Over the next few months, penguin parents take turns to go to the ocean for food. They each make the trip several times, bringing back food for the chick. The chick grows quickly and is always hungry.
Into the water
By December, winter is ending. The chick is five months old and can live on its own. Soon it enters the water for the first time. It will swim and eat until next April, and then return here. After a few more years, it, too, will start its own family.
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