How to Tame Kairuku in ARK
A prehistoric penguin. Provides hypothermal insulation when nearby and is a source of Organic Polymer.
Quick Facts
- Diet
- Piscivore
- Temperament
- Docile
- Tame Method
- Knockout
- Rideable
- No
Kairuku Taming Details
Kairuku is a knockout tame. It starts with 300 base torpor and gains +18 per level. Torpor drains ~1.00/sec once it is down, so keep Narcoberries or Narcotics ready to top it up during the tame. Its most effective taming food is Raw Prime Fish Meat.
Alternative foods: Raw Fish Meat.
Harvest yield: a tamed or killed Kairuku drops Raw Meat, Hide, Organic Polymer.
Taming Steps
1. Prepare your gear
Bring Tranq Arrows or Tranq Darts, a Crossbow or Longneck Rifle, Narcotics or Narcoberries, and bug repellent.
2. Locate the creature
Find a wild Kairuku on supported maps. Check the spawn map and bring a fast mount or a flyer for transport.
3. Knock it out
Kairuku is a knockout tame. Use a Crossbow, Longneck Rifle with Tranq Darts, or Shocking Tranq Darts. Aim for the head for bonus torpor and keep distance to avoid aggro damage.
4. Feed the right food
Place Raw Prime Fish Meat in its inventory (alternatives: Raw Fish Meat). Higher-tier food gives faster taming and higher level bonuses.
5. Maintain torpor
Watch the torpor bar. Feed Narcoberries or Narcotics to prevent it from waking up before the tame completes.
6. Claim & saddle
Once tamed, Kairuku will follow your commands. It cannot be ridden.
Kairuku base stats
Level 1 wild values, with the gain each point adds in the wild and after taming.
| Stat | Base | Per wild level | Per tamed level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health | 95 | +20.0% | +27.0% |
| Stamina | 200 | +10.0% | +10.0% |
| Oxygen | 150 | +10.0% | +10.0% |
| Food | 900 | +10.0% | +10.0% |
| Weight | 70 | +2.0% | +4.0% |
| Melee damage | 1 | +5.0% | +10.0% |
| Movement speed | 1 | +0.0% | +1.0% |
| Torpidity | 300 | +6.0% | +0.0% |
Breeding & movement
Where it spawns & other details
Kairuku spawns on The Island, The Center, Ragnarok, Valguero, Lost Colony, Genesis Part 1, Astraeos, Extinction.
Kairuku variants
- Eerie Kairuku
- Slidy 'N Slippery Kairuku
Related tools & resources
Kairuku — Background & Lore
The Kairuku is a prehistoric penguin. It keeps nearby survivors warm, and it is a source of 
Organic Polymer.
Where to find it
It lives on cold shores on The Island, The Center, Ragnarok, Valguero, Extinction and Genesis Part 1 in both games, on Astraeos and Lost Colony in ASA, and on Crystal Isles, Fjordur and Lost Island in ASE.
Taming
A knockout tame. Feed it fish. See the taming calculator.
Breeding
- Egg: hatches in about 1 hour 31 minutes.
- Temperature: 22 to 30 °C.
- Growth: a baby matures in about 1.2 days at 1x.
Uses
Warmth in cold regions, and Organic Polymer when harvested.
Tips
A 
Pelagornis is a quick way to collect Organic Polymer from wild Kairuku.