An Egg Above the Ice

On sea ice near Antarctica, emperor penguin parents share a big job. Their single egg needs warmth, but both parents also need food. The ocean where they hunt may be far from their group.

A Careful Pass

After the mother lays an egg, she carefully passes it to the father. He balances the egg on his feet. A fold of skin covers it like a soft blanket. His feet keep the egg off the cold ice. With the egg safe, the mother leaves to hunt in the ocean.

The father guards the egg for about two months without eating. His body uses energy saved from earlier meals. Fathers huddle, or gather close together, to help keep warm. While the father stays with the egg, the mother eats and builds up her energy again.

The Next Turn

Often, the mother returns near hatching time. To hatch means to break out of an egg. After the chick hatches, she takes it onto her feet. She feeds it food carried back in her stomach. Now the father can travel to the ocean to eat. As the chick grows, the parents keep taking turns finding food and caring for it.

Picture caption: A father penguin shelters an egg under a fold of skin, keeping it warm above the ice.