5 things to know about rare emperor penguin sightings

ORLANDO, Fla. — The world’s largest and, arguably, the most iconic penguin species is making their SeaWorld Orlando debut.

1. SeaWorld Orlando has welcomed 16 emperor penguins. The Orlando theme park is now the only place you can see this species in the Western Hemisphere.
2. The emperors came from SeaWorld San Diego — touted as leading global efforts in emperor penguin care and breeding since the early 1980s.
3. Native to the harsh, frozen landscape of Antarctica, emperor penguins are built for life on the ice. They are known to dive deeper than any other bird species.
4. SeaWorld Orlando upgraded its existing Antarctica Realm to meet the precise environmental needs of the emperors, meaning the habitat’s temp is 28 degrees. “On a really hot day, to be in here for 5-10 minutes, it feels so good,”  said SeaWorld Orlando President Jon Peterson, during a backstage visit. 
5. Here’s another fun fact about emperor penguins. The males incubate a single egg atop their feet under a brood patch. The male also fasts during incubation, losing up to 45% of his body weight. Park guests can now find the newest penguins at SeaWorld’s Antarctica attraction.