King Penguin

## Description

The King penguin is the second largest species of penguin. Females are usually shorter and more lightweight than males. The head of adult individuals is dark, almost black, on both sides covered with orange to orange-yellow colored markings, which have a form of a spoon. Adult penguins also possess an orange-colored patch, which is most intense at the throat of the animal, turning to pale yellow on the upper breast and gradually becoming white on the back of the animal. The back and the flippers are covered with black and gray feathers, having a slight silvery shade. The lower bill has a pinkish-red to the orange-yellow colored band, displaying ultraviolet reflectance. The hatchlings are dark brown in color before their first molt. Young penguins generally look similar to adult individuals, though they are colored paler, gaining full adult coloration at about 3 years old.

## Distribution

King penguins inhabit rocky islands in the northern reaches of Antarctica, as well as Tierra del Fuego, the Falkland Islands, and other temperate islands of the region.

## Behavior

King penguins are diurnal and social animals, gathering in colonies. Usually, these colonies cover large territories, located in open areas with poor vegetation, since the birds do not tend to climb. In order to forage, King penguins travel long distances (up to 500 km) from their breeding areas. Before feeding, they like to bathe in the ocean. During the daytime, penguins can dive to depths of 100-300 meters, remaining there for about 5 minutes before coming to the surface while at night, they usually do not dive deeper than 30 meters. When on land, King penguins move either by walking with the characteristic ungainly, wobbling gait or simply sliding over the ice surface on their bellies, pushing themselves with their feet and flippers.

## Diet

King penguins are carnivores (piscivores). Their diet mainly consists of fish and particularly - lantern fish and they also consume crustaceans such as krill.

## Reproduction

The mating behavior of King penguins can be characterized as serial monogamy. During the breeding season, which takes place in November-December, each penguin mates with only one mate. The female lays a single egg. Then, for about 55 days, both the male and the female take part in the incubation of the egg. When the chick hatches out, both parents care for it for about 30-40 days, until the hatchling joins a group of other chicks or crèche, where it finds warmth and protection from predators. Young penguins are independent at 14-16 months old, reaching sexual maturity at the age of 3-5 years.

## Population

### Threats

One of the threats to this species is human activity within the area of their range, which can cause the introduction of a disease, pest, or predator, which, in turn, can lead to the decline of their population. However, the primary threat to the penguins is global warming: the rise in temperatures has already caused a sharp decline in the breeding success of King penguins. In addition, global warming affects also the species that the penguins consume, slowing down the development of marine organisms.

### Number

According to the IUCN Red List resource, the total population size of the King penguin is 1.1 million annual breeding pairs. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are increasing.

## Fun Facts

Instead of constructing nests, King penguins just carry the incubating eggs and the chicks with them, on their feet.

During blizzards, King penguins may cuddle up to each other in order to keep warm.

The pupil of their eye has a circular form, becoming square when constricted.

Penguins cannot fly. They have repellent feathers that are so lush, that may look like fur. In spite of the ungainly gait on land, these birds are excellent swimmers: while in water, they are extremely nimble and magnificent creatures, "flying" gracefully through the water.

The King penguin possesses a supraorbital gland, filtering excess salt from the animal's blood through the capillary above its eyes, and releasing the salt through the penguin's nose. Due to this amazing ability, the penguin is able to drink salty ocean water.