The emperor penguin is the tallest living penguin, reaching about 122 centimetres in height.
Emperor penguins are also the heaviest living penguins, with adults commonly weighing around 22 to 45 kilograms. Their large bodies help them conserve heat in Antarctica’s severe winter conditions.
They breed on Antarctic sea ice, where males balance a single egg on their feet and cover it with a fold of skin called a brood pouch. This breeding system allows the female to return to sea to feed.
King penguins are often confused with emperors because they have similar orange-and-yellow markings, but king penguins are shorter and generally slimmer. Emperor penguins are found farther south and endure colder conditions during breeding.