Emperor penguins travel about 55 miles inland to breed. The courtship begins in March or April when temperatures can reach as low as -40° F. The Emperor penguin has a thick coat of feathers that insulate its entire body, excluding only the legs and the undersides of the wings. The feathers provide a waterproof layer around the penguin's body.

In May or June, the female penguin lays one egg, which she transfers to the care of her mate. As the female goes off to feed, the male incubates the egg in a special layer of feathered skin. The incubation period lasts about 65 days, during which time the male does not eat at all. With cold winds reaching 120 mph, the males huddle together, taking turns in the middle to stay warm.

The female returns as the incubation period draws to a close then finds her mate through a distinct call. She then spits up her food to the hatched chick and keeps the penguin warm for an additional two months in her own brood pouch as the male goes off to find his own food.

After another few weeks, the male returns and both parents tend to the chick by keeping it off the ice and feeding it food from their stomachs. About two months after the egg hatches, as the weather becomes milder, the chicks huddle in a group for warmth and protection, still feeding on food regurgitated from their parents' stomachs.

Eventually, both child and parents will return to the sea and spend the rest of the summer feeding there. These penguins can dive 500-800 feet and can hold their breath between 15 and 20 minutes. Their average swimming speed is 4 to 6 miles per hour, but they can accelerate to 12 miles per hour during short bursts. On land they alternate between walking with a wobbling gait and sliding over the ice on their bellies, propelled by their feet and their flipper-like wings.

At the end of the summer the whole inland trip will repeat itself, and all penguins at approximately 4 years or older will breed, while the younger ones stay at sea until they are old enough.