Penguins: The Ultimate Survivors of the Frozen World | Full Documentary

The Animal Kingdom. A remarkable collection of living, breathing natural wonders. Enthralling, impressive, tenacious and nurturing. Innovative, tough, surprising, always genuine. Discover their past, present and future. Just breathtaking. Just intriguing. Just tremendous. Just animals. Penguins. Instantly recognisable members of the Animal Kingdom. The contrasting colours of their feathers not only makes them distinctive, but distinguished as well. From the aptly named little penguins, measuring barely more than the size of a human hand, right up to the majestic emperor that stands over a metre tall. This striking group of flightless birds is endearing. Capable of speeds three times faster than Olympic swimmers, they are accomplished aquatic performers. But on land, their movements are awkward. Clumsiness aside, when they congregate, penguins can be breathtaking. And ear splitting. These raucous colonies are known to number in the millions. Despite the endless choice of partners, most species are monogamous. Some mating for life. Whether it's their ability to endure the extremes of nature, or just their comic demeanour, there is something captivating about penguins. Penguins are unlike any other animal on earth. But that doesn't mean they're a biological anomaly. They, like all vertebrates, have a backbone, which is evident in their excellent posture. Penguins lay eggs, an ability they share with vertebrates and invertebrates alike. One characteristic that does set them apart are their feathers. A distinguishing feature of the class Aves, creatures commonly known as birds. Apart from their feathery coats, birds have several other attributes in common. They are all bipedal, meaning they walk on two legs. Which come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Birds have front limbs, modified into wings. Like mammals, birds are endothermic, or warm-blooded. Able to maintain a body temperature of around 38 degrees Celsius. They all have tough, durable beaks formed from keratin. The same substance that makes up their claws and feathers. There are 23 orders of birds. Well-known examples include owls, parrots, songbirds, and penguins. That is their common name. To a bird expert, they're known as Sveneskiformes. This scientific name comes from the Latin, meaning wedge-shaped. An unflattering, yet accurate description of these exceptionally upright birds. Their impeccable posture and restricted gait is the result of feet set far back on their body. Depending on the species, penguins need to either waddle or hop to get about on land. Above the waterline, a penguin's wings are essentially decorative. An accessory to show off and occasionally aid with balance. Biologists classify them as flippers. Short, stout appendages with the primary purpose of aquatic propulsion. A penguin's odd design is no quirk of nature. Their bodies are engineered for life at sea. Their elongated shape, tapered at both ends, reduces water resistance as they swim and hunt for prey. Their feet act as rudders, helping to steer. And their powerful flippers maintain momentum. Overall, it's an ideal arrangement for an aquatic animal. If only they didn't spend half their lives on land. Within the penguin family, there are 18 species grouped into six genera. The crested, banded, brushed tails, little, yellow-eyed, and lastly, the great penguins. The variations in appearance may seem subtle at times, but the differences amongst this collection of marine birds is more than skin deep. Of the estimated 400 billion birds on the planet, penguins account for a tiny fraction, roughly one hundredth of one percent. And while their populations are largely restricted to the southern parts of the world, they're far more familiar to us than the most common bird in the wild. Africa's red-billed quelea. Penguins are often associated with Antarctica, but less than a third of them live around that icy continent. The majority prefer the temperate waters along the coasts of southern Africa, South America, Australia, and New Zealand. Only one has ventured north of the equator, the Galapagos penguin, which has taken advantage of the cool currents swirling around the island group from where it draws its name. It is the smallest of the four banded penguins, growing to just over half a meter. It shares South American waters with two mid-sized banded penguins, Humboldt and Magellanic, both birds named after the European explorers who first spotted them. The final member of this group is the African penguin. Apart from their prominent banded chests and their preference for mild climates, banded penguins all share one attention-grabbing characteristic, the ability to bray like a donkey. Coming into shore are the smallest of the clan. Native to Australia and New Zealand, the little penguin spends 80% of its life at sea, only coming ashore at dusk when less predators are about. Because of its petite body, it's often referred to as the fairy penguin. These small birds can also be called blue penguins due to the unusual colour of their back feathers. Out of the 18 species, they are the only type that don't have black plumage. Little penguins are the only member of their genus. So too is the one-of-a-kind yellow-eyed penguin. When on land, these birds dwell in the forests of New Zealand's South Island. The colouring on the yellow-eyed penguin not only covers its iris but part of its head as well. The fourth group of penguins, the crested penguins, take ornate looks to another level. This is the biggest group, all seven members having their own version of an elaborate headdress. To complement their colourful adornments, crested penguins have orange beaks and reddish-brown eyes. The royal is the largest, growing up to 70 centimetres high, making it similar in size to the yellow-eyed penguin. Like all of the crested species, it lives around the sub-Antarctic islands. The macaroni is the smaller, almost identical copy of the royal penguin, except for its darker face. The smallest of the crested penguins is considered the mountaineer of the group. The rockhopper lives up to its name. As for the fifth group, the brush-tailed penguins, they are also named for a physical attribute, but theirs is more practical than decorative. The gentoo has the longest tail plumage, up to 18 feathers that extend about 15 centimetres, creating a sturdy platform when on land. Despite their length, their tails do not hinder them in the water. Gentoos are the fastest swimmers in the entire family, capable of speeds up to 40 kilometres an hour, quite an accomplishment considering their hefty size. Chinstraps are a petite, yet feistier member of the brush-tailed group. These birds have a reputation for fighting, and they appear to be dressed for that purpose too. A combination of a dark head and a single distinctive band makes it appear like they're wearing a helmet, the inspiration for their name. Chinstraps are one of the most common penguin. It's estimated at least eight million of them live around the islands of Antarctica. They are often seen in the company of the third type of brush-tailed penguin, Adelies. Slightly smaller than their more populous cousins, these plain-looking birds are deceptively hardy. They are one of only two species of penguin that breed on the pack ice of the southern continent. The other is the emperor, the largest, heaviest and toughest of their kind. They belong to the sixth group, the great penguins. These birds are double the height of an Adelie and weigh up to 45 kilograms. Emperors have a remarkable ability to withstand the onslaught of an Antarctic winter, all while caring for their young. The other great penguin is the king. When compared to an emperor, they have bright throat patches, longer, less curvy beaks and stand slightly smaller at a meter high. They also prefer the relatively warmer conditions experienced on the sub-Antarctic islands. While they have spread themselves across different countries, climates and terrains, and share the land and sea with many other animals, penguins stand out. To survive in such extreme environments, penguins have needed to adapt to their surroundings. Temperature control has been their biggest challenge, especially for the ice dwellers. With temperatures in Antarctica dropping as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius, emperor penguins have a lot to contend with. But they've come up with a range of coping techniques. Like most animals that spend winter around the southern continent, emperors build up blubber to sustain them during weeks of fasting and provide them with some insulation. Special fats in their feet prevent them from freezing, despite constant contact with the ice. Another line of defense they have against the cold is their plumage. The emperor's secret to staying snug on the ice is a generous coating of downy feathers close to the skin, which trap pockets of air for their body to heat. A penguin's plumage is that important to their survival, they completely replace it at least once a year. This shedding of all feathers at once is unusual in the bird world. It has come to be known as a catastrophic molt. Depending on the species, the process can take up to a month, during which time the penguin is unable to swim or catch food, leaving them weak and vulnerable to attack. To be as safe as possible, they stay together as a group, keeping watch for predators. For members of the family that live in warmer climates, it's all about staying cool. The waters around these South American islands might be refreshing, but on land temperatures can reach 30 degrees Celsius. To cope with the heat, the Galapagos penguin extends its flippers, increasing airflow around its body. It also stoops slightly when it walks to shade its feet from the sun. All banded penguins have featherless skin patches around their beaks to prevent them from overheating. The pink colour comes from blood diverted to the surface, which is then cooled by the air. Penguin feathers are more than simply a layer of insulation. As with all aquatic birds, they also act as a barrier to water, thanks to an oil produced by the preen gland near their tail. Penguins tend to their feathers daily to ensure they remain waterproof. This is vital around the sea and Antarctica, where temperatures plunge to minus two degrees Celsius. Unlike the long, hollow feathers on flying birds, penguin wings have short, scale-like plumage designed to reduce resistance when swimming. When they dart about below the surface, any trapped air is released as microbubbles. As the viscosity of the water changes, the bubbles lubricate their path, making their movements more efficient. While most birds have air spaces in their bones to make them lighter for flight, penguins have dense, heavy skeletons, which help them to dive. As a general rule, the bigger the bird, the deeper they can go. Emperor penguins have been known to swim down more than 500 metres and remain underwater for 20 minutes. To survive such long dives, they use a technique perfected by many of the larger Antarctic animals, known as the mammalian effect. To conserve energy in cold water, they shut down non-essential organs and slow their heart rate. Their body then requires less oxygen, so they can stay down longer. Penguins have a number of other adaptations that earn them the title of aquatic bird. When submerged, they can make the soft lenses in their eyes bulge outwards, allowing them to see clearly when swimming. Salt is an issue for all marine animals. Penguins are able to deal with the excess through a gland above their eye, which filters sodium chloride from their bloodstream. As eye-catching as their coats are on land, in the water they're designed to have the opposite effect. Dark back feathers match the surrounding ocean when viewed from above by potential predators. From beneath, white bellies blend with the bright light streaming down from the surface. This form of camouflage is known as countershading, and for penguins it's their best hope of staying safe at sea. If they are detected, their ability to corpus gives them a speedier means of escape than simply swimming. Smaller penguins are surprisingly athletic. They have the ability to launch themselves two meters into the air to get back on firm land. Out of the water, however, their movements appear less impressive. When a penguin waddles, it's making the best of a bad situation. Short legs and webbed feet are not an ideal combination for covering distance on land, but their swaying motion is 80% more energy efficient than a static walk. Those with access to ice employ another technique to get about, tobogganing, a faster and arguably more enjoyable form of travel. Whether on land or at sea, penguins have made the most of their wide range of physical features and specialized skills to feel right at home. Modern day penguins have an extensive family tree. They are descendants of an estimated 40 species of ancestors that are all now extinct. The earliest family members morphed from flying birds as far back as 65 million years ago. The prehistoric penguins disappeared around the same time that seal and whale numbers started to increase, giving rise to the theory they were competing for the same food. Modern descendants were first spotted by explorers in the 15th century. Their name is the result of a mistaken identity. It was originally thought they were a northern hemisphere bird known as the great orc. Its scientific name was Penguinus impennis. While that bird is now extinct, there are plenty of its relatives still around. The genetic makeup of penguins having similarities to other aquatic birds. It may not be obvious to look at them, but the albatross and petrel are a penguin's closest living relatives. The one noticeable thing they have in common is the structure of their beak. Shearwaters, loons and frigate birds also share some DNA with penguins. These links tracing back millions of years to when penguins ancestors could also fly. While today's penguins no longer have that ability and have shrunk in stature compared to their ancient relatives, they have inherited the tools to survive where many others could not. Penguins are very social animals, comfortable in the company of not only their own species, but any other animal that doesn't pose a threat. As elephant seals do not dine on penguins, they make harmless neighbours. When breeding, penguins have certainly embraced the concept of safety in numbers. Their annual gatherings are one of the natural world's most astounding spectacles. This king penguin colony has close to half a million breeding couples. With numbers like these, it would be easy to get lost amongst the crowd. But these birds have developed the perfect approach for locating their mate. Each penguin's vocalisation is recognisable to its partner. A calling card to announce they have arrived. The screech of a chinstrap penguin is so piercing, the bird is often referred to as a stone breaker. When it's time to fish, they opt for the safety of swimming and hunting as a group. All penguins use body language as an effective communication tool, particularly when they want to attract a mate or assert dominance. There is no pecking order as such in the colonies, but penguins can be territorial. While they gather for the greater good at breeding time, petty jealousies sometimes come into play. Competition for building materials can be fierce. This African penguin is learning the hard way, not to borrow from its neighbour's burrow. Emperor penguins know the importance of being social, both for safety and comfort. When winter blizzards set in, the colony huddles together. The penguins pack in tightly. They each take turns in the centre of the group. Temperatures in the middle can reach a toasty 24 degrees Celsius, despite the bracing winds around them. This clever technique cuts heat loss by up to 50%, allowing their fat reserves to last longer. Emperor penguins maintain this close bond, even when on the move. Every year, a procession of these large birds travels up to 160km inland to their nesting grounds, the same ones their ancestors used generations ago. As fascinating as their individual life journeys are, when witnessed en masse, they are all the more impressive. Every species of penguin has a slightly different start to life. Some chicks emerge in soft burrows designed for warmth and protection. Others arrive in a nest made of stones. And then there are those that hatch on their parents' feet. With most species, it's the role of the male to plan and prepare for the youngster's arrival. Step one, find or build a home. When materials are in short supply, resorting to petty theft will get the job done. Step two, attract a partner. The more effort put in, the greater chance of success. Step three, devote the next few months to rearing young. Penguins are creatures of habit. The majority of species return to the same rookery every season. Rockhoppers are even more precise. Apparently, they head to the exact nesting site on the same day, year after year. They are one of the few penguins that mate for life. Others include the African, Magellanic and Royal. The majority of penguins breed once a year. Pregnant females all lay two eggs, except for the great penguins that produce one per season. This common doubling up increases the chance of at least one chick surviving. Incubation periods range from one month up to 66 days, and both parents take turns with egg-sitting duties. There is one notable exception. Male emperor penguins are left holding the egg, literally, while the female heads back to sea to hunt. The egg is placed on his feet and warmed by a fold of skin on his abdomen, known as a brood patch, a common feature of many birds. Blood can be directed to the surface to heat the egg, keeping it at a constant 31 degrees Celsius, despite the freezing environment. The male relies on fat reserves to insulate the egg and sustain himself, having been fasting since the start of courtship. By the time the chick hatches more than two months later, the father will have lost almost half his weight. If fishing goes well, the female will be back in time to see the chick emerge from the egg. If she is delayed, the male can produce crop milk, a thick curd-like substance from his oesophagus that will nourish the chick until the mother returns. Hatchlings are tiny and defenseless, relying on parental care for up to a year. Despite being the chick of the largest penguin, baby emperors only weigh 300 grams when they emerge, the same as three decks of cards. In contrast, they are almost 10 times the size of a little penguin chick. King penguins hatch without feathers, initially relying on the warmth of their parents, until their plumage begins to grow at a few weeks of age. All other species arrive covered in fine down for warmth. As these feathers aren't waterproof, the chicks are confined to land. For nutrition, they're supplied with a diet of regurgitated seafood from both their parents. Penguins will only feed their own youngsters, instinctively returning to their nest after fishing expeditions. With no set home, king and emperor penguins are drawn to their chicks by their unique crimes. The chicks grow quickly, and within months can look a similar size to the adults. But there's no mistaking young from old. Scientists believe the difference in colouration is designed to safeguard the chicks. It identifies them as a non-threat to other penguins in the colony. When they're strong enough, the hatchlings are left together in a creche for protection from predators. This is where their appearance begins to transform. Juvenile down replaced with waterproof plumage, an uncomfortable process that can take several months. Mortality rates are high in the first year of life. The chicks are burrowing penguins being targeted by predators such as lizards, snakes, and small mammals. Aerial attacks are also common. In Antarctica, skewers and giant petrels are the greatest threat to young penguins, apart from the extreme cold. Sadly, only 10% of emperor chicks and half of king penguin hatchlings will survive to independence. Even with this high loss of life, the emperor's choice to breed in winter does have some merit. By the time the chicks are ready to hunt, it's summer. The pack ice has begun to melt, making their journey to the sea shorter. Plus, food is available closer to shore. Once out on their own, direct family ties are severed. But mature penguins remain in groups. Life expectancy varies amongst penguins. Little penguins average seven years, while kings and emperors can live to more than three times that age. Penguins don't have an easy start to life, and those that manage to defy the odds face constant dangers in their bid to survive. All so they can pass on their strong genes to the next generation. When it comes to food, the world has a generous assortment to offer wild animals. Despite this, penguins have a limited diet, consisting only of seafood. This makes them a specific type of carnivore, known as a piscivore, from the Latin word pisces, meaning fish. Since they rely on a vision to find their prey, these aquatic birds hunt close to the surface, where sunlight penetrates the water column. Hunting styles vary, from simply snapping their beaks through clouds of krill, to actively pursuing large fish. Banded penguins often forage together. Many pairs of eyes being able to quickly source tasty schools, then drive the cluster to the surface, where they can dive through the bait ball and grab their fill. The smaller Antarctic penguins, such as the gentoo, chinstrap and edeli, feed on squid and krill, small shrimp-like crustaceans that spawn in their millions over the warmer months. Each of these birds can consume more than a kilogram of these tiny delicacies every day while they're in season. Larger penguins, such as the emperor and king, eat a quarter of their body weight daily during summer. They can travel over a thousand kilometers to forage for food. For all that effort, the size of the fish they target is surprisingly modest. They prefer small varieties, such as anchovies and sardines. It means they need to catch 30 or more each day to get their fill. Penguins have powerful beaks to help them grip their slippery catch. They don't have teeth. Instead, they have sharp rear-facing spikes on their tongues and roof of their mouth, which help position their prey to be swallowed whole headfirst. When at sea, these feathery hunters need to be wearing themselves. Killer whales and leopard seals are some of their main predators. When ashore, penguins can be targeted by skewers and carnivorous mammals in warmer regions. Individually, they may seem insignificant, but as a group, the actions of penguins make a vital impact on two distinct environments. From spreading nutrients on land through their droppings to keeping populations in check at sea, these delightful birds play a major role in the food chain, both as prey and predator. For an animal that is only found in isolated parts of the world, penguins have been universally embraced. From the moment these strange birds were first documented by European explorers, they have become creatures of intrigue, celebrated for their quirkiness. The yellow-eyed penguin is depicted on the New Zealand five-dollar note. Its Maori name, Hoiho, means noisy shouter. Penguins have been immortalized on collectible coins, and they fly around the world every day on letters. The emperor penguin has featured on stamps in 30 countries. An impressive feat for a bird that is only found in Antarctica. With their striking appearance and comical behaviors, it's not surprising that penguins are incredibly popular with children. Countless books, toys, TV programs, and films feature these beloved creatures. An industry has grown out of our desire to get closer to penguins, to witness their gatherings. In reality, many of us will never come across these flightless birds in the wild, but it says something about our fascination with them, that they have become ingrained in so many aspects of our culture. Though they are globally adored, more than half of all penguin species are listed as endangered or threatened, and their demise is all down to human activity. From the moment early explorers documented their existence, penguins were in trouble. Harvested for their meat, oil, and skin. In the past, their eggs were also in high demand as a source of sustenance. On one African island alone, 300,000 were collected each year. Little wonder that African penguins are now endangered, with as few as 5,000 left in the wild. Although egg collecting was banned in 1969, there is another issue. Their hunting grounds overlap with major shipping channels. Oil spills are not uncommon. The results are catastrophic. The biggest threat for penguins in Antarctica is climate change. Rising sea temperatures are causing the ice shelf to shrink, impacting hunting grounds and nesting sites. In warmer climates, the greatest threats to penguins are invasive species, such as foxes, feral cats, rats, and ferrets. The news isn't all bad. Some species are on the rise. Adelie penguins are estimated to number more than 5 million. Chinstraps, over 8 million. Thankfully, gentoos, littles, and kings are all listed as stable. Macaronis have the biggest numbers. At last count, more than 10 million birds. Scientists believe that penguin populations are a good indication of how we're going with climate issues. As more attention is focused on finding long-term solutions to global warming, pollution, and overfishing, conservationists hope they can help all penguin species to thrive again. Wildlife parks and aquariums play a vital role by raising awareness about the plight of these birds, whilst also bolstering penguin numbers through breeding programs. Eco-friendly tourism provides another avenue to inform and educate the public about penguins. These ventures often raise funds that directly benefit the birds. Globally, environmental organizations are working to protect vulnerable breeding grounds and eradicate predators. It's a long process, but there's a lot at stake. Hopefully, these interventions will help to conserve these charming, whimsical creatures, so that future generations can also marvel at penguins. you