Emperor penguin diving under ice

Emperor penguins feed on fish, krill and squid which they catch on dives that are longer and deeper than any other penguin or bird species. They can dive to a depth of 1,800 feet (550 meters) and hold their breath for up to 22 minutes. This allows them to reach and exploit food resources that other birds can't.

The diving abilities of emperor penguins has been widely studied, they have been found to have:

1/ an increased ability to store oxygen in the body
2) the ability to tolerate low levels of oxygen in the body
3) the ability to tolerate the effects of pressure

Photograph by: Emily Stone
National Science Foundation