Baby boom at Vernadsky: the first penguin chick of the season appeared at the Ukrainian station, hundreds of new hatchlings are ahead
2 December 21:18
Ukrainian polar explorers have reported the first penguin chick of the season near the Akademik Vernadsky station. The baby hatched on November 29-30, which is unusually early, as in previous years it usually happened only in mid-December, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
What happened
On Galindez Island, where the Ukrainian Antarctic station is located, sub-Antarctic penguins began to come to land much earlier this year and build nests. This, according to biologists, led to an earlier start of the hatching season.
The penguin chicks of this species appear asynchronously, in the same sequence as the eggs were laid. At first, they are covered with gray fluff, which gradually thickens, and in about a month the chicks molt and acquire “adult” plumage.
What is known about this year’s colony
This season, the island is home to a record 7,000 sub-Antarctic penguins. Ukrainian scientists have counted 2,300 active nests, so a large-scale “bird baby boom” is expected in the coming weeks.
In total, there are 18 species of penguins on the planet. Three of them nest in the region of the Akademik Vernadsky station:
- subantarctic penguin
- antarctic penguin
- and the Adélie penguin.
These species have similar mating rituals: they start the season in the spring according to the Antarctic calendar, build nests of stones, and both partners share the care of eggs and chicks.
