{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "emperor-penguin",
  "name": "Emperor Penguin",
  "scientificName": "Aptenodytes forsteri",
  "category": "Bird",
  "summary": "The emperor penguin is the tallest and heaviest penguin species, standing up to 1.2 m (4 ft). It is the only animal that breeds during the brutal Antarctic winter, where males incubate a single egg on their feet through months of darkness and temperatures below -40°C. Emperor penguins live around 20 years.",
  "conservationStatus": "Near Threatened",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Aves",
    "order": "Sphenisciformes",
    "family": "Spheniscidae",
    "genus": "Aptenodytes"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 40,
    "lengthM": 1.2,
    "topSpeedKmh": 12,
    "lifespanYears": 20
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Aptenodytes forsteri"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore (fish, krill, squid)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Antarctic sea ice and surrounding ocean"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "~20 years"
    },
    {
      "label": "Height",
      "value": "Up to 1.2 m (4 ft)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Dive depth",
      "value": "Up to 500 m (1,640 ft)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Near Threatened (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "The sea ice and coastline of Antarctica.",
    "continents": [
      "Antarctica"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "BirdLife International (2020). Aptenodytes forsteri. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.",
      "url": null
    },
    {
      "citation": "Billerman, S. M. et al. (eds.). Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology.",
      "url": null
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Aptenodytes forsteri. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Aptenodytes_forsteri/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/emperor-penguin/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/emperor-penguin/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}