Anjani Ganase continues her Antarctic adventures remembering encounters with these most remarkable birds
The Antarctic continent is a massive icescape where only the most adaptable organisms can survive. Marine animals are abundant around Antarctica, and everywhere there are the penguins. Sharing a common ancestor with the albatrosses and petrels, penguins have ditched flying for stealthy swimming and gentlemanly walking.
The earliest known penguins came about ~ 60 million years after the mass-extinction event that took out the dinosaurs. Today, penguins have refined their adaptations as they continue to occupy the most extreme and coldest continent of the planet, carving out their niche for survival. They have an incredibly thick layer of densely packed and waterproof feather, thick skin and fat layers. Their vision is adapted for the icy water and they are masters of polar oceans.
Because of the Avian flu epidemic, visitors were not allowed to approach them but we observed these birds from a distance of 5m. Observers are not allowed to bend or squat in Antarctica to reduce the risk of our clothing or equipment touching the ground and transmitting any bio-hazard. Back on the boat, our boots and pants were power washed and disinfected. Humans are vectors of diseases and along with our privilege of being on the continent, we also had the responsibility to not add any distress.
Penguins are threatened by the rapidly changing climate that is radically altering their ecosystems by reducing their food supply, suitable nesting sites and increasing the number of diseases. The Western Antarctic Peninsula, where many penguin colonies occur is warming faster than anywhere else on the planet (average temperature has increased 2.4 C since 1958). Here, are some of the penguins of Antarctica that won our hearts.
Gentoo penguins
[caption id="attachment_1063901" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Gentoo colony - Anjani Ganase[/caption]
Gentoo penguins have the classic orange beak and white band over their eyes, and a large brushtail from which they get their Latin name Pygoscelis. By far the most abundant and charismatic of the group, they have large colonies in the sub-Antarctic (Falklands, South Georgia islands) and Antarctica. They are favoured prey for leopard seals, orcas. Almost every site had a colony of Gentoo penguins. They are de-sensitised to humans, neither interested or deterred. Gentoos are the climate winners in the region, increasing in populations as they occupy Antarctic and sub-Antarctic areas, suggesting that they have a wide variety of food options and are more tolerant of the warming conditions. They nest in colonies on top of rocks, mosses and feathers.
Adelie penguins
[caption id="attachment_1063899" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Adelie penguins - Anjani Ganase[/caption]
Adelie penguins are named after the wife (Adele) of the scientist, Jules Dumont d’Urville, who was part of the French Antarctic expedition team that first saw the species. Adelie penguins can be distinguished by their a
