Knowra King penguin King penguin The king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) is a large penguin breeding on subantarctic islands. It is the closest living relative of the emperor penguin and has a long, two-year breeding cycle.
Penguin : A flightless seabird adapted for swimming, with flipper-like wings and an upright stance on land. King penguins belong to this distinctive group of aquatic birds.
Breeding cycle : The recurring sequence of reproductive events, from courtship and egg-laying to raising offspring. King penguins take roughly 14 to 16 months to complete a breeding attempt.
South Georgia : A mountainous subantarctic island in the South Atlantic with major penguin and seal colonies. It hosts some of the world’s largest king penguin breeding colonies.
Climate change in the Southern Ocean : Long-term changes in Southern Ocean temperature, circulation, sea ice, and ecosystems driven by climate forcing. Shifts in ocean conditions can move prey away from established breeding colonies.
Aptenodytes : A genus of large penguins comprising the king penguin and emperor penguin. The king penguin is one of only two living species in this genus.
Incubation patch : A featherless, vascularized area of skin that transfers warmth to an incubated egg or chick. Adults hold the egg on their feet beneath a warm abdominal skin fold.
Îles Crozet : A remote French archipelago in the southern Indian Ocean, east of South Africa and north of Antarctica. Its islands support substantial king penguin colonies.
Marine heatwave : A prolonged period of unusually warm ocean temperatures relative to a local historical baseline. Warm anomalies can alter prey availability and increase travel costs for foraging adults.
Subantarctic : The oceanic region surrounding Antarctica, including islands north of the Antarctic Convergence. Its breeding colonies lie on islands within this cold, oceanic region.
Fasting : A period of abstaining from food, whether voluntary or imposed by biological circumstances. Adults can fast for weeks while incubating, drawing on stored body reserves.
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