Endemic to the Antarctica, the Emperor Penguin is the largest of all living penguin species. Their diet consists mainly of fish, and in hunting for food can remain submerged under water for as long as 18 minutes. They are the only species that breed during the winter in the Antarctic. They do not build nests but instead use their body heat to incubate and raise their young. The female produces a single egg and then heads off to sea to feed, passing the egg over to her male mate for a 9 week incubation period. During that time the male will not eat and can lose up to 1/3 of his body weight, while keeping the egg warm. Once the female returns to feed their chick, the male will travel up to 60 miles to find food. Their typical life span is 20 years in the wild. Their threatened status is a result of climate change, industrial fisheries and decreased food supply.

Emperor Penguin Salt & Pepper - Available in 24K Gold Enamel.

4" L x 2 " H

By Grant Dawson Collections.