Emperor Penguins
Emperor penguin colonies are distributed around the margins of Antarctic ice shelves. At last count there were 66 known colonies around Antarctica. Some of these colonies were only recently discovered, revealing themselves in satellite imagery as dark guano-stained smudges on the ice.
The majority of sea ice surrounding the Antarctic continent is mobile pack ice which shifts and moves and does not provide a stable base to incubate and raise chicks. Emperor penguins are for the most part reliant on ‘fast’ ice, ice adjacent to land and ice shelves that does not typically shift and move and provides a long term stable platform for the duration of the breeding season from courtship and breeding in March/April to fledging in December/January. The mobile pack ice is still very important as it is a key foraging zone for the penguins. Loss of fast ice at a critical juncture in the cycle is a critical threat to Emperors as was so visibly demonstrated in the 2022/2023 summer when a number of colonies experienced early sea ice breakup and total breeding failure. Scientists predict higher mortality and potential extinction should warming and sea ice loss continue apace.
There are a small number of colonies that have access to land, however, the vast majority do not and are extremely vulnerable to early sea ice break-up.
Breeding cycle
Emperor penguin courtship begins in March or April. During this period, adult males and females gather in large colonies, often numbering in the thousands. Once mating has taken place, the female will lay a single egg, typically around May or early June. The egg is then carefully transferred to the male, who incubates it on his feet, covered by a special fold of skin known as the brood pouch. The male emperor penguin becomes a single parent during this period, as the female returns to the sea to feed, replenishing her energy for the months ahead.
The incubation period lasts around 65 to 75 days, during which the male emperor penguin endures extreme cold and a lack of food. The temperature in the Antarctic winter can plummet to as low as -60°C (-76°F), with winds further reducing the effective temperature. Male Emperor penguins face the harshest conditions, standing on their feet for weeks at a time, only shifting occasionally to reposition the egg and protect it from the freezing winds.
During this time, the males form tight-knit groups called “huddles” for warmth. By huddling together, the penguins reduce exposure to the elements and share body heat. The huddling behaviour is essential for survival, as it helps prevent hypothermia and allows the males to endure the long incubation period. This is known as social thermoregulation.
Once the egg hatches, the male continues to care for the chick by regurgitating food from his stomach. Initially, the chick is covered in a soft down, which helps protect it from the freezing temperatures. The chick will remain in the care of the male until the female returns from the sea.
After the female returns to the colony, typically in July, she takes over the role of feeding and caring for the chick. By this time, the chick is often around 2 to 3 weeks old. The female, having fed on the nutrient-rich food from the ocean, regurgitates it for the chick, which rapidly gains strength.
As the chick grows, it begins to develop its own layer of feathers, which will eventually replace its down. By the time the chick is around 2 months old, it can survive on its own, although it still relies on its parents for food. At this point, the chick begins to moult and grow stronger, gradually becoming more independent.
The chick rearing process is one of the most critical stages in the emperor penguin life cycle. While the colony offers some degree of protection, the survival rate of chicks is heavily influenced by the availability of food and the harshness of the weather. In some years, when food sources are scarce, chick mortality can be high.
By early spring (September to October), the chicks transition from being dependent on their parents to becoming more self-sufficient. They often cosy up in creches with just one or a few adults nearby.
The colonies start to break up into distinct groups and spread out and the chicks grow in size before shedding their downy coats and taking to the sea.
At around 4 to 5 months of age, the chicks are ready to venture out into the surrounding sea to catch squid, fish and krill. The adults dive to extreme depths in search of food (typically 100-200m with the deepest dive recorded being 565m). Adults have been known to forage as far afield as 2500 miles (4000kms) from their colonies. In late 2024 an Emperor turned up on a beach in south west Australia.
The Emperor penguin begins breeding around 5 years of age. Many adult penguins will not breed every year, as the availability of food and environmental conditions can vary significantly. Emperor penguins are highly adaptable in terms of breeding frequency, often skipping a season if environmental conditions are not favourable.
An emperor penguin’s life span can range from 15 to 20 years in the wild, though many face natural challenges that reduce their lifespan. These challenges include predation from leopard seals and killer whales.
Adaptations
Emperors have incredible insulation. Their feathers provide excellent protection against wind and cold. Emperors are the largest of the penguin species (fossil remains of larger species have been found) weighing up to 40kgs and as tall as 1.3m (over 4 feet). Their weight can as much as halve during the winter as they go for long periods without food and raise their chicks. They are excellent swimmers, literally flying underwater. Dense bones counteract buoyancy. Flipper like wings with stiffened joints allow for strong propulsion in the water. Emperors also have the ability to recycle body heat. Blood is pre-cooled on the way to the feet and pre-warmed on the way back to the heart. Their feet in constant contact with ice or freezing water contain lipids that prevent them from freezing. Strong claws allow for better grip on the ice. Adaptations that allow this extraordinary creature to not only survive the Antarctic winter but to incubate eggs and raise chicks in the most extreme temperature and wind.
When can you visit an Emperor Penguin colony with Islands & Ice Travel?
In early October our expedition logistics partner, Ultima Antarctic Logistics readies the blue ice runway to receive intercontinental flights carrying scientists, cargo and a few intrepid tourists. The ski-equipped Twin Otter, an ideal aircraft to take off and land on the sea ice is mobilised from the Canadian high Arctic. The pilots hop their way across North, Central and South America before traversing the Drake Passage and continuing down the Antarctic Peninsula and across the Weddell Sea to Dronning Maud Land. It is the trusty twin otter that is the workhorse of the Arctic and Antarctic. It operates in cold windy conditions and can take off and land in short ungroomed spaces like snow-covered sea ice or glaciers.
By the end of October the aircraft are ready and our lovely comfortable accommodation quarters at the Schirmacher oasis are ready to receive guests. Our first Emperor Penguin trip in 2025 is scheduled for 28 October – 4 November. At this time of year there is 24 hours of light but the sun does set and we witness some beautiful pastels between the hours of 10pm and 2am. The temperature can dip into the -15C to -20C range, nothing our hefty down jackets can’t handle (guests are issued with warm polar clothing in Cape Town for use during expeditions). We are running two more trips 12-20 November and 20-27 November when the days are a little longer and a little warmer and the chicks a little bigger but still incredibly cute with their downy ‘biggles suits’ intact. Each trip includes visits to two different Emperor colonies and the magnificent Drygalski Mountains. Last year we pioneered this itinerary, the first tourism visit to two different colonies. Check out the teaser below. We also have permission to visit a third colony in case the weather or conditions do not allow a visit to one of the other two colonies.
Are tourism activities regulated?
Activities in the Antarctic are subject to the Antarctic Treaty of 1959 and associated legal instruments, referred to collectively as the Antarctic Treaty system. These include the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (CCAS’ 1972), the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR’ 1980) and the Recommendations and other measures adopted by the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties under the Antarctic Treaty.
In 1991, the Consultative Parties to the Antarctic Treaty adopted the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty. This Protocol sets out environmental principles, procedures and obligations for the comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment, and its dependent and associated ecosystems. The Consultative Parties have agreed that, pending its entry into force, as far as possible and in accordance with their legal systems, that the provisions of the Protocol should be applied as appropriate.
The Environmental Protocol designates Antarctica as a natural reserve devoted to peace and science, and applies to both governmental and non-governmental activities in the Antarctic Treaty Area. The Protocol seeks to ensure that human activities, including tourism, do not have adverse impacts on the Antarctic environment, nor on its scientific and aesthetic values.
The Protocol states, as a matter of principle, that all activities are to be planned and conducted on the basis of information sufficient to evaluate their possible impact on the Antarctic environment and its associated ecosystems, and on the value of Antarctica for the conduct of scientific research. The Environmental Protocol requires that “activities shall be modified, suspended or cancelled if they result in or threaten to result in impacts upon the Antarctic environment or dependent or associated ecosystems.”
Those responsible for organising and conducting tourism and non-governmental activities must comply fully with national laws and regulations which implement the Antarctic Treaty system, as well as other national laws and regulations implementing international agreements on environmental protection, pollution and safety that relate to the Antarctic Treaty Area. They should also abide by the requirements imposed on organisers and operators under the Protocol on Environmental Protection and its Annexes, in so far as they have not yet been implemented in national law.
All tourism visits conducted by International Association of Antarctic Tour Operator (IAATO) members must also be run in strict adherence with IAATO guidelines governing all activities including biosecurity measures, wildlife viewing, waste management. There are even specific provisions for undertaking and managing visits to Emperor Penguin colonies. Our aircraft must maintain a minimum height and distance from colonies to avoid disturbance which leaves us with a beautiful walk across the sea ice to view and capture lifelong memories of these magnificent birds.
3. Conservation Efforts and the Future of Emperor Penguins
Given the challenges posed by climate change, scientists and conservationists are working to better understand how emperor penguin populations are responding to these environmental shifts. This includes tracking penguin populations through satellite imagery, monitoring ice conditions, and studying the penguin’s food sources.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the emperor penguin as “Near Threatened,” with some estimates suggesting that as many as half of emperor penguin colonies could be impacted by climate change within the next century. As the ice melts, the birds’ ability to find suitable breeding sites is becoming more tenuous.
Conservation strategies are focused on reducing global carbon emissions to mitigate climate change and protect the emperor penguin’s natural habitat. Additionally, localised conservation efforts aim to monitor and protect penguin colonies during the breeding season.
In the past two seasons we have obtained a permit to fly a drone to obtain aerial images to share with Emperor penguin scientists to assist with colony size estimates. We hope to continue to build data sets for the three colonies we are permitted to visit. The drone permit specifies maintaining a height of at least 80m over the colony and employing a full time spotter to observe for any signs of disturbance.
Photography Tips at Emperor colonies
With the ever present threat of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) we are very careful to biosecure gear and footwear prior to any visit (this includes tripods and monopods and anything that may come into contact with the ground). We undertake the biosecurity protocol in Cape Town before flying to Antarctica and repeat decontamination procedures before we board the twin otter to fly to a colony and again before we board the aircraft to return to the airbase and once again on disembarkation from the aircraft at the airbase.
Most experienced wildlife photographers know that getting down to animal eye-level is critical to get engaging images. With the threat of H5N1 we are strictly prohibited from sitting, kneeling or lying down near wildlife (this applies to all tourism visits to Antarctica whether by sea or by air) and we must maintain a minimum distance of 5m from the Emperors. It is best to avoid carrying too much gear or a heavy camera bag into a colony as we cannot place bags on the ground. We recommend use of a camera harness that can be fitted at the aircraft before walking into a colony and to buddy up to keep an eye on penguins around you (to ensure we or they do not encroach) and to assist each other to change lenses etc. Two camera bodies can be mounted on a harness (e.g. Blackrapid camera harness) with two lenses and you can have hands free to use a phone or binoculars and carry a tripod. harnesses also take the strain off arms and neck.
To get the lower shots you can compose and shoot using the tilt screen on the back of most high end cameras so you don’t need to sit or lie down to compose your images through the viewfinder.
To capture sharp images of a creche of penguins you’ll need to stop down (f11 to as narrow as f16) if you’re 5-10m away at 250-400mm. You may need to raise your ISO to get the desired depth of field and shutter speed. A tripod can be handy to keep ISO and shutter speeds down and for shooting video (tripods can be placed on the ground provided they are bio-secured before and after a visit to a colony).
Cloudy days and moody weather are best. You may need to over-expose up to 2 stops to bring out detail in the penguins and avoid that grey look that is inevitable if you do not dial in some over-exposure on white subjects. Bright sunny days can prove a little difficult with the dynamic range between black and white too much. It’s easy to blow out detail on the chest of an adult. The chicks are a little greyer and do not present quite the same issue in bright sunshine.
To isolate a parent or parents and chick it’s a good idea to survey the colony and identify where there are some stragglers on the periphery, always taking care to move slowly and not encroach. Always keep in mind how you may wish to crop images in editing. The background is just as important as the subject. Take care to avoid distractions (photo-bombing penguins) in the background or distracting ice features.
Take some video (preferably shot from a tripod with a larger camera or handheld with a smart phone). The video captures the full experience with the sounds of the chicks and adults forming a magical soundtrack. Just ask your companions for some quiet time while you’re filming.
Ensure batteries are fully charged and you have spare memory cards (it’s easy to fill them with these beautiful animals). The temperature at the colonies in November is not too extreme so battery life does not drain too quickly. At there South Pole at nearly 3000m above sea level and -30 to -50C in late November battery life is severely limited.
Above all, take time to contemplate exactly where you are, on the frozen ocean on the edge of an Antarctic ice shelf a long way from civilisation standing among regal Emperor Penguins that have emerged from their winter breeding cycle. A profoundly moving experience which very few will ever experience.
