Why do penguins live on the ice?

Penguins use their body fat and feathers to keep warm in the cold, sometimes freezing, conditions in which they live.

Standing means their body is kept out of contact with the cold ground, so they are able to retain heat better than if they sat on their nesting or roosting area to rest, as many birds do.

They also balance their eggs on top of their feet and cover them with the lower part of their bodies during incubation.