DESCRIPTION
Standing over a metre in height and weighing up to 40 kilograms, the emperor penguin is the undisputed heavyweight of the penguin world . Slow and dignified, the emperor penguin is a stunning bird with a blue-grey back that shades into a black tail, and a characteristically white belly flushed with yellow. Deep yellow ear patches on either side of the head fade down the neck and the upper chest, while the remainder of the head and throat is black .
THREATS:
As a result of a projected rapid population decline, in 2012 the emperor penguin was uplisted to Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List . Sadly, climate change models predict a colossal reduction in the extent of the Antarctic sea-ice, which would result in the loss of large areas of emperor penguin breeding habitat. Based on climate change models, recent research indicates this species could decline by as much as 95 percent
HABITAT
The breeding colonies of the emperor penguin are mainly found on level areas of stable sea-ice. These may be close to the coast or up to 18 kilometres offshore, and are often sheltered sites in the lee of ice-cliffs, hills or bergs
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