Unique footage: polar explorers show chicks of Antarctic penguins for the first time 6 February 2024
Kyiv • UNN
Ukrainian polar explorers have released the first video of Antarctic penguins and their chicks nesting on Booth Island near the Akademik Vernadsky research station.
For the first time, Ukrainian polar explorers have released a video of Antarctic penguins and their chicks. This is reported by the National Antarctic Research Center , UNN reports.
Details
Antarctic penguins are also called chinstrap or bearded penguins because of the thin black stripe that crosses their white chin. They are considered the most abundant penguin species in the Antarctic (about 7.5 million pairs)
The video with the chicks was taken by Vadym Tkachenko, a biologist of the 28th UAE, while working on the island of Booth, located in the Vernadsky area. This year, 15 chicks have already been born there.
As explained by the Ukrainian polar explorers, the mating season for these birds usually begins in October-November. They lay 2 eggs, rarely 1 or 3. In a little more than a month, penguin chicks hatch. At first, they are covered with light gray fluff, which darkens over time on the head, wings, and back...
Addendum
The scientists add that Antarctic penguins mostly visit their island Galindez, and even then, rarely. But a small colony of penguins nests on Buta, 20 kilometers to the north.
The polar explorers noted that all 3 species of penguins of the genus Pygoscelis found in our area nest here at the same time: sub-Antarctic, Antarctic and Adelie.
Sometimes Ukrainian biologists have seen such a neighborhood of three species on other islands, but rather as an exception. But it is only on Buta that all of them nest together every year and successfully raise chicks.
Recall
Ukrainian polar explorers showed South Polar skuas with chicks. The scientists filmed one of the parents returning to the nest and taking care of the chick.