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News: Emperor penguin and Antarctic fur seal have been uplisted to Endangered category in International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List due to climate change impacts.
About Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri)
- Emperor penguin is the largest penguin species that survives and breeds in extreme Antarctic winter conditions.
- Scientific name: Aptenodytes forsteri.
- Habitat: They depend on fastened ice near the Antarctic coast, which is sea ice attached to land or icebergs, for breeding, moulting, and raising chicks.
- Distribution: Emperor penguins are found across the Antarctic continent.
- Key features
- Weight: Adults can weigh up to 40 kg at the start of the breeding season.
- Breeding: They are the only animals that breed during the Antarctic winter, and males take responsibility for incubation.
- Adaptation: They have several layers of scale-like feathers and body fat for insulation.
- Heat conservation: Their body structure and blood circulation help in recycling heat efficiently.
- Social behaviour: They huddle together to reduce heat loss and survive extreme cold conditions.
- Diving ability: They can dive up to 565 m and stay underwater for up to 22 minutes.
- Population Trend / Projection: The population is projected to show a sharp decline, with a possible halving by the 2080s due to changing sea-ice conditions.
- Threats
- Climate change and sea ice loss
- Reduced food availability
- Commercial fishing/competition
- Disease
- Conservation Status: Emperor penguins were earlier listed as Near Threatened, but are now uplisted to Endangered due to climate change, sea-ice loss.
