Emperor penguins feed on fish, krill and squid which they catch on dives that are longer and deeper than any other penguin or bird species. They can dive to a depth of 1,800 feet (550 meters) and hold their breath for up to 22 minutes.Click to see full answer. Similarly, you may ask, why do emperor penguins dive so deep? Penguins’ Oxygen Trick: How They Survive Deep Dives An Emperor penguin dives through a hole into the water below Antarctica’s McMurdo Sound sea ice. They believe that the penguin is selectively sending extra oxygen from the blood into the muscles, so they don’t get tired.Also Know, can penguins swim deeper than whales? Scientists Puzzled by Extreme Penguin Dives. When emperor penguins dive below the Antarctic sea ice in search of food, they can descend five times as deep as a human and can swim on a single breath for up to 20 minutes. Also, how far down can penguins swim? At sea, emperor penguins can dive to 1,850 feet—deeper than any other bird—and stay under for more than 20 minutes.What bird can dive the deepest? murre