Emperor penguin

The emperor penguin is the biggest penguin in the world. Standing about as tall as a five-year-old child, it has a smart black-and-white coat with a splash of soft yellow near its ears and neck. Emperor penguins live in Antarctica, the coldest place on Earth.

These penguins do something no other animal does: they raise their chicks during the dark Antarctic winter, when the weather is at its wildest. To keep warm, whole groups of penguins shuffle close together in a big huddle, taking turns to stand on the chilly outside and warm up in the cosy middle.

Emperor penguin fathers are wonderful parents. After the mother lays one egg, the father balances it on top of his feet and tucks it under a warm flap of skin. He holds it there for weeks without eating while the mother travels to the sea to feed. When she returns, the parents take turns caring for their fluffy chick.

Under the water, emperor penguins turn into speedy swimmers. Their wings work like flippers to push them along as they chase fish, krill, and squid. They are the deepest-diving birds of all and can plunge down more than 500 metres, holding their breath for many minutes before coming back up for air.

Life is getting harder for emperor penguins because the sea ice they need is melting as the world grows warmer. They rest and raise their families on this ice, so scientists are watching them carefully and studying how to protect the frozen home these remarkable birds depend on.