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King penguin map Aptenodytes patagonicus Least concern

Where the king penguin lives: an interactive map of its subspecies and recorded sightings worldwide.

Approximate range, based on recorded sightings. Shapes are drawn by World Animal Map from 5,563 wild occurrence records on GBIF (CC0/CC BY 4.0; captive and fossil records excluded, isolated outliers removed), grouped into 1° grid cells and clipped to land and nearby coastal waters. They show where the animal has been recorded, not an official range; gaps can simply mean no open data. Method · Records on GBIF

SGI-2016-South Georgia (Fortuna Bay)–King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus)
Photo: Godot13, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Scientific nameAptenodytes patagonicus
StatusLeast concern (Wikidata, IUCN category label)
Mapped range layers2
Records used5,563 wild occurrence records (GBIF, CC0/CC BY)
GroupPenguins

Interesting facts

  • The king penguin dives during daylight hours to depths of 100–300 metres (330–980 ft), spending around five minutes submerged, and to less than 30 metres (98 ft) at night. [source]
  • The king penguin's average swimming speed is 6.5–10 km/h (4.0–6.2 mph). [source]
  • The king penguin is approximately 25% shorter and weighs around a third less than the emperor penguin. [source]

About the king penguin

The king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) is the second largest species of penguin, smaller than but somewhat similar in appearance to the emperor penguin.

King penguins mainly eat lanternfish, squid, and krill. On foraging trips, king penguins repeatedly dive to over 100 metres (300 ft), and have been recorded at depths greater than 300 metres (1,000 ft). Predators of the king penguin include giant petrels, skuas, the snowy sheathbill, the leopard seal, and the orca.

The king penguin breeds on the subantarctic islands at the northern reaches of Antarctica, South Georgia, southern Argentina, and other temperate islands of the region. It also lives on Macquarie Island in the Southern Ocean and the Falkland Islands.

This bird was exploited commercially in the past for its blubber, oil, meat, and feathers. Today it is fully protected.

Subspecies (2)

Subspecies listed in Wikidata as children of Aptenodytes patagonicus (fossil-only taxa excluded). Classification is debated for many animals and lists differ between authorities.

  • Aptenodytes patagonicus patagonicus
    on the map
  • Aptenodytes patagonicus halli
    3 open-licence GBIF records (too few to map)

Photos

King penguin: Aptenodytes patagonicus
Photo: API data Catalogue record Photo, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
King penguin: Aptenodytes patagonicus -St Andrews Bay, South Georgia, British Overseas Territories, UK -head-8
Photo: Liam Quinn from Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
King penguin: Colony of aptenodytes patagonicus
Photo: User:Pismire, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Text in “About”, “Interesting facts” and “Population” is quoted from the Wikipedia article King penguin (revision 1379831959), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: sentences excerpted verbatim, citations and formatting removed. No text added. Taxa and status: Wikidata Q182209 (CC0).

More penguins

Emperor penguin

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