The royal penguin is one of the most beautiful creatures in the natural world and deserves all attention and appreciation
The King Penguin is considered fertile material for documentary filmmakers, as we have observed in previous years the production of a large number of documentaries and cartoons in which penguins played a starring role, perhaps the most prominent of which is The Penguin King, which shed light on the life cycle of penguins in an interesting manner.
If you are a fan of penguins, let us now explore together from teketrek the magic of this exciting creature and dive into the sea of its beauty and magnificence.
About the a royal penguia
Firstly, it must be noted that the royal penguin is called (Royal Penguin) in English, and it is one of the species of crested penguins (Eudyptes) that belong to the penguin family (Sphenisciformes).
It is also known by the scientific name (Eudyptes Schlegelii),
It is worth noting that some confuse it with makaroni penguins, while scientists confirm that the royal penguin is a subspecies of it.
The royal penguin belongs to the phylum Chordata, of the class of birds.
Distribution areas of the royal penguin
When you search for places where penguins live, your thoughts will go directly to glaciers and some places in Antarctica, but what if we told you that the king penguin lives in different regions as well?
We can find it in North Antarctica, and on the islands of the sub-Arctic continent, and we also see it in the Falkland Islands, Tierra del Fuego, and many other islands that enjoy a moderate climate.
It should be noted that the king penguin was formerly known as the Patagonian penguin, but is no longer found there or in any other part of South America.
Royal penguins also previously bred on Staten Island (Islas de los Estados), but the colony was wiped out by seals in the 19th century.
What are the specifications of the royal penguin?
The royal penguin has some physical characteristics that give it additional fame and a more beautiful presence, and accordingly, we will refer below to its interesting appearance
The king penguin reaches a length of 70 cm and is considered one of the tallest types of penguins
Its weight ranges between 4-6 kilograms, knowing that males weigh more than females
The king penguin has a large, orange beak and a white or gray face
The king penguin’s head is black, and is characterized by a long crest consisting of yellow-orange feathers that start from the forehead and extend to the sides and top of the head
The king penguin’s back and flippers are covered with black and gray feathers with a slight silver tint
Adult penguins have an intense orange patch on the throat, which turns pale yellow above the breast and becomes white at the back
The royal penguin is distinguished by its lower beak, which has a pinkish-red to yellowish-orange stripe
It should be noted that the king penguin has four layers of feathers in order to maintain warmth. We find that the outer layer is oily and water-resistant, somewhat similar to duck feathers, while the other three layers are internal, located below the feather layer and are considered a very effective insulating material. On the other hand, you should know that king penguin babies are born without the oily outer layer.
Food for the royal penguin
First of all, it must be noted that during the king penguin’s search for food, it dives several times to depths exceeding 100 metres, and in many cases it may reach 200 metres. It eats small fish and feeds mainly on squid and lantern fish, in addition to krill and other crustaceans, like other predatory animals that live in the Southern Ocean, but to a lesser extent. When the royal penguin builds its nest, it places a hole in the middle of the soil to store plants and food.
Reproduction in the royal penguin
Warm summer is the main breeding season for the king penguin, due to the favorable temperature. In addition, it provides more food, as the female penguin heads to the open sea and returns after about 21 days in order to keep the eggs warm, while the male only goes for one month without food.
The eggs hatch after about 54 days, and both parents take care of them for 30 to 40 days to keep them warm and protect them from predators. Then the parents return to the sea and take turns bringing food to the young every day. It should be noted that royal penguin babies grow faster in the hot summer, but in the winter and fall the parents return to the sea for feeding
Accordingly, we can say that the mating behavior of the king penguin is monosequential. During the breeding period that occurs in the months of November and December, each penguin mates with only one partner. This breeding occurs twice every three years, and there are nesting and breeding colonies throughout the year. It should be noted that young penguins become independent when they are between 14-16 months old, and reach sexual maturity at the age of 3-5 years.
Distinctive habits followed by the royal penguin
The king penguin is distinguished by the presence of some unique habits and behaviors that make it exceptional and different from other animals. Most notable:
The king penguin does not tend to climb, so its colonies are located in open areas poor in vegetation.
King penguins bathe in the ocean before feeding
The king penguin is one of the best swimmers in the animal world. It can swim at speeds of up to 12 km per hour and dive to a depth of 300 metres.
The king penguin can stay underwater for 5 minutes before it reaches the surface, but at night it does not dive more than 30 meters.
The king penguin walks wobbly or slides on its stomach across the surface of the ice and propels itself with its flippers and feet.
The royal penguin has a warm and influential personality, as it shows strong communication and affection among the members of the group.
The king penguin uses intelligent strategies in catching fish. It uses fast and precise movements in hunting and feeding.
When king penguins breed on the beach, they stand upright to walk on large, strong webbed feet.
What we mentioned in the previous points indicates that the king penguin is a king with his gentle behavior, and a unique scientist who becomes a wonderful model of friendliness, dedication, and intelligence.
faqs about the king penguin
A large number of penguin lovers and animal researchers are discussing a number of questions related to the king penguin. Below we will point out the most prominent of them:
1- Is the royal penguin affected by climate change?
Yes, global warming poses a great danger to it, as rising temperatures lead to a decrease in the reproductive success of the royal penguin. Moreover, it affects the species that this penguin feeds on.
2- What are the most important facts that are unique to the royal penguin?
The king penguin is unique among other animals by releasing large amounts of nitrous oxide, known as laughing gas, through its feces.
3- What is the most famous breed of king penguins?
The royal penguin breeding season lasts from September to February
4- How many royal penguins are there
Yhere are around 1,600,000 birds.
In short, the king penguin is a symbol of dedication, cooperation and intelligence in the animal world, thanks to its unique habits and fascinating behaviour. Which always reminds us of the importance of caring for the environment and preserving the biodiversity of our planet.
