Since penguins live mostly in the water, it is not surprising that their main source of food is the sea. They feed on fish, krill and squid, which they catch on dives that are longer and deeper than any other penguin or bird species. They search underwater at depths up to 800 feet and hunt for about 22 minutes. This allows them to reach and exploit food resources that other birds can't. One of their feeding strategies is to dive to about 50 meters, where they can easily catch sub-ice fish swimming against the under surface of the sea-ice and dive again and repeat the sequence about half a dozen times before surfacing to breathe.
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Predators of the penguin include seals, sea lions, sharks, and killer whales. The leopard seal is especially fond of eating penguins. Although these animals are enemies of the penguin at sea, they usually don't bother them on land. Birds, such as the giant petrel, brown skua, gull, and sheathbill eat penguin eggs and attack penguin chicks. However, they refuse to attack adult penguins. People can also be included as they penguin's enemy. If fishing boats catch too many fish in the waters where penguins live, there is not enough fish for them to eat. Oil spills can also be a danger. The oil coats the penguin's feathers and makes them lose their waterproofing. Fortunately, laws to help protect the penguins from harm by humans have been passed in recent years.
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