Emperor penquin

Description

The Emperor penquin is same kind as the King penguin. One thus finds many similarities between these two species. It measures 1,20 m approximately and weighs between 20 kg and 41 kg according to the season (the variation of weight is due to the periods of fast). The plumage is white on the belly and dark gray on the back. The head with the black plumage is equipped with a nozzle curved partially emplumé, black also, decorated of an orange band on the lower mandible. Two spots oranges are visible on each side of the neck. This penguin is embellished by a range (energy of orange to the white) which begins on the front from the neck and stops before the white of the belly. The webbed legs are black. Separation between the white of the belly and the gray of the back is materialized by a black band. These keys of color confer on this bird an esthetic aspect of the most beautiful effect.

The chick resembles a cuddly toy. The thick gray fur which recovers it protects it from the great cold where these animals reproduce. Its head leaves the gray plumage, covered with black plumage with white band.

The immature ones are very similar to the adults but a little paler.

Behavior

The Emperor penquin nourishes itself exclusively at sea. Its food consists of Krill (small pink shrimps representing an enormous protein reserve), fish and of Céphalopode S. to reach them, the penguin uses of various forms of chasse : successive divings of a few minutes, alternation of underwater swimming and jumps out of water, fishes in band (like good number of birds of sea).

The morphology of the penguin, that its atrophied wings made inapt for the flight, is adapted to the nage : its rigid body and its short neck enable him to be propelled in water at 5 to 10 km/h, with points being able to reach 30 km/h. Its body density is raised, its wings are used to him as fins and its legs of rudder. Its divings are deep (more 300 m) and last only a few minutes.

At the time of great cold, the penguins form “ the tortue ”: they gather in compact group, thus limiting in periphery the contact with the air. A rotation is organized between the penguins of the edge and those of the center so that they are not always the same individuals who are cold talks.

Following the example King penguin, the Emperor penquin moults. This renewal of the plumage improves its sealing and its protection against the cold. For this period, the Emperor penquin cannot plunge and is thus obliged to fast. Resistance to the fast of the Emperor penquin is amazing: in 4 months, its weight passes from 40 to 23 kg (including 2 of grease).

Habitat

As indicated in red on the chart of distribution opposite, the emperor penquin saw all around the the Antarctic. The green indicates the zones of reproduction of the penguin.

Reproduction

The emperor penquins have the effect of reproducing in one of the most inhospitable areas of the world and, during the Hiver in the Antarctic: the Température S can go down until -60°C, with Vent S exceeding 200 km/h.

They leave water at the season of the loves in March /avril (Automne Austral). The penguins ravel into long column S on the Banquise in the search of a partner, traversing with jeun tens of kilometers. They are found on the frozen ground, in extreme cases of the ice-barrier, in colonies of several thousands of individuals (the largest colony counts until 100 000 individuals). After a parade in love, the couples are formed and will remain faithful until the end of the cycle of reproduction.

For two months, until the laying of only one egg per couple the adults cannot nourish themselves being with several tens of km of the free sea. After the laying, the females transmit egg to the males and at once, they start a tour on the ice-barrier to go to feed in the ocean.

The Emperor penquin nidifie not (ground being covered with ice), but it carries egg on its feet and recovers it of a thick fold of skin (the temperature under the fold is estimated at more than 30°C).

The males ensure only the Incubation of egg of the couple (of 62 64 days). After the blossoming and in spite of its fast of several months, the male nourishes the newborn by Régurgitation. The small one cannot leave the parental fold, because it is unable, at this stage, of autoréguler its temperature.

The satisfied female returns and the chick is entrusted to him during about thirty days. The male can then finally go to nourish him too. The southern Spring come, the young people, then capable of autoréguler their temperature, are left in “cribs” which gather chicks of various couples. To protect itself from the cold, they imitate the adults by forming a tortoise while the parents are at sea in search of food.

In December (be southern), the chicks grew well. They moulted and are ready to take the broad one. The adults give up them on the ice-barrier into full Débâcle. They end up being thrown to water in group and then weigh 45% of the weight of the adults. They will not return to reproduce in their turn, the same place, as once reached the age of 5 years.

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