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Great Penguins(Attenuates)King Penguin(Aptenodytes patagonica)
Click on thumbnails for larger image They are the second largest of all penguins averaging 37 to 38 inches in length and their weight varies from 30.4 pounds to 38 pounds. Note that while their closet relative, the emperor penguin, is only 9 inches taller than the king penguin it weighs over twice as much. This is because of the harsh conditions of Antarctica versus the milder climate of the king penguin located in the Subantarctic Islands. They have a black head, chin and throat with vivid orange, tear-shaped ear patch. The orange coloration extends to the upper chest. There are probably no subspecies although in the early 1900's it was suggested that there were two. Aptenodynes patagonicus breeding on South Georgia Island and Aptenodynes hali breeding on the Kerguelen, Crozet, Prince Edward Heard and Macquarie Islands, but recent evidence indicates this is not the case. The main breeding areas are Crozet Island - 455,000 pairs, Prince Edward Island - 228,000 pairs, , Kerguelen Island - 240,000 to 280,000 pairs and South Georgia 150,000 pairs. Their diet is mainly fish and squid. The total population is estimated at 1,071,000 pairs and is stable and increasing as they are not being threatened by human activity. Only one egg is laid and the hatch success rate is 64% to 84% depending on the site. As the male Emperor penguin does, the male King cares for the egg initially fasting for about one month. The male and female then take turns caring for the egg until the end of the incubation period which is about 55 days. Winter starvation may claim the lives of 50% of king chicks. The adults raise one chick every other year. The dark brown downey chicks were felt by early explorers to be a separate species called "Woolly penguins". The chicks were also called "Okum Boys" because they looked like the rope and tar caulk called okum that was used to fill cracks in ships. The King penguin can dive to a mean depth of 715 feet with a range from 419 feet to a maximum depth of 1640 feet lasting up to 15 minutes. They swim speed is from 4.7 mph to 6 mph. Unlike other penguins they rarely porpoise.
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