King Penguin Skull

The King Penguin lives on the subantarctic islands at the northern reaches of Antarctica, like Tierra del Fuego, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and other temperate islands of the region.  At 3 feet tall and 25-30 pounds, it is the second largest penguin after the Emperor Penguin.  Like all penguins, it has webbed feet and a streamlined body that makes it an excellent swimmer.  It is well adapted to the extreme conditions in the subantarctic, with its four layers of feathers and 70 feathers per square inch.  Its outer layer of feathers is oiled and waterproof, and its inner layers are insulative down to protect from the harsh cold.  The King Penguin relies less on krill and other crustaceans than other southern ocean predators, eating mainly fish and squid.  It will often dive 400 feet on foraging trips, sometimes up to 700 feet, far deeper than any other penguin.