After watching March of the Penguins, I got to thinking about all the instinct needed for the mating of Emperor Penguins. They have to know when to march to the breeding ground, when to march back, how to find a mate, how to find their chick. It’s incredible. I wonder, if you take Antarctica out of the picture, would their instincts be so screwed up that they wouldn’t know how to mate at all? Do captive Emperor penguins breed? If so, how is it similar to what was in the movie and how is it different?
Apparently Sea World in San Diego is the only place outside Antarctica where Emperor Penguins have successfully bred, with 20 chicks produced. I don’t know about the details, though.