King penguin

How it lives

A single egg is laid, around November to December in the Falklands, and incubated for about 55 days. The breeding cycle from laying to fledging takes about 14 to 16 months, so a pair can raise only two chicks in three years. Chicks gather in crèches from about March, and in winter they may lose up to half of their body weight while waiting for meals. Breeding starts at about 5 years old, and life expectancy in the wild is about 20 years (Falklands Conservation).

Where it goes

King penguins do not follow a fixed migration. Because the breeding cycle lasts more than a year, chicks are present at a colony all year round. Adults travel long distances to feed. In winter they can go hundreds of miles from the colony, and one source gives up to about 500 km.

We only draw a journey on the map when scientists have tracked it or clearly documented it. For this animal we have not found one yet.

Populations

Global: about 1.7 million breeding pairs (Falklands Conservation) or 2.23 million pairs (Wikipedia, citing recent estimates). Largest colonies are on the Crozet Islands (about 455,000 pairs), Kerguelen (240,000 to 280,000 pairs), the Prince Edward Islands (about 228,000 pairs) and South Georgia (over 100,000 pairs). Falkland Islands: about 1,500 breeding pairs, almost all at Volunteer Point on East Falkland, and the trend is increasing. About 500 to 700 chicks are produced each year there. One tour source gives about 1,000 pairs and 500 chicks, so numbers differ by source and year. Climate change is flagged as a long-term threat because it can shift the food supply. IUCN status: Least Concern.