Reigning Over Central Park

The King Penguins (Aptendoytes patagonicus) are the second largest penguin species and are known to dive to depths of over 300ft for their food, and have been recorded as deep as 980ft. These birds were photographed in their natural habitat on the Island of South Georgia in the South Atlantic Ocean near Antarctica. Their population is considered stable, unlike their cousins, the Emperor Penguin, which is listed as "Near Threatened" by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The King Penguins' numbers are, fortunately, growing and have a Least Concern status. However, some scientist are raising the alarm bell that the warming of the Southern Ocean is causing these birds to have to swim further to find krill to eat, leaving less time and energy for mating and attending to their chicks.

2nd Place Prize in the 6th Pollux Awards, Fine Art category, produced by the Worldwide Gala Photography Awards.