King Penguin | Oceana
Home / King Penguin

Marine Life Encyclopedia

Seabirds

King Penguin

Aptenodytes patagonicus

Distribution

Subpolar latitudes in the southern hemisphere

ECOSYSTEM/HABITAT

Nest on beaches and rocky shores; feed in sub-Antarctic currents

FEEDING HABITS

Foraging predator

TAXONOMY

Order Sphenisciformes (penguins), Family Spheniscidae (penguins)

Emperor penguins spend all year in Antarctica, while king penguins live in sub-antarctic island groups and in southern South America. The king penguin is the largest penguin outside of Antarctica.

King penguins are foraging predators that feed primarily on fishes (but occasionally take squids) in shallow water near their nesting sites. Many predatory seabirds are known to take juvenile king penguins, while leopard sealskiller whales, and other large predators are the only species that typically eat adults.

Though they feed in the marine environment, king penguins mate and nest on rocky shores during the southern hemisphere summer, when both male and female remain faithful to their partner for at least one nesting season. Approximately one third of all individuals remain faithful to the same partner for multiple years. Each parent participates in incubating a single egg, by taking turns resting the egg on its feet while the other parent feeds. After hatching, the parents continue to care for the juvenile for approximately one year. During this time, the juvenile is dependent on its parents for food, warmth, and protection from predators.

With apparently increasing populations, the king penguin has been determined to be a species that is not at risk of extinction. It is not dependent on ice for nesting (like Antarctic penguins) and it generally does not live in places with significant local human impacts (like South American or African penguins). And it does not rely on krill and other prey that are vulnerable to overfishing and climate change (like many other Southern Ocean predators). However, it is important to continue to study king penguins and monitor their populations to ensure that any future negative trends are discovered early and are handled accordingly.

Engage Youth with Sailors for the Sea

Oceana joined forces with Sailors for the Sea, an ocean conservation organization dedicated to educating and engaging the world’s boating community. Sailors for the Sea developed the KELP (Kids Environmental Lesson Plans) program to create the next generation of ocean stewards. Click here or below to download hands-on marine science activities for kids.

Kids Environmental Lesson Plans

Additional Resources:

IUCN Red List

Get Involved

Donate Today

SUPPORT OUR WORK TO PROTECT THE OCEANS BY GIVING TODAY

With the support of more than 1 million activists like you, we have already protected nearly 4 million square miles of ocean.

TAKE ACTION NOW

Support policy change for the oceans

Decision-makers need to hear from ocean lovers like you. Make your voice heard!

VISIT OUR ADOPTION CENTER

SYMBOLICALLY ADOPT AN ANIMAL TODAY

Visit our online store to see all the ocean animals you can symbolically adopt, either for yourself or as a gift for someone else.

DOWNLOAD OCEAN ACTIVITIES

HELP KIDS DISCOVER OUR BLUE PLANET

Our free KELP (Kids Environmental Lesson Plans) empower children to learn about and protect our oceans!