The subantarctic penguin built a nest almost 300 meters above sea level

A subantarctic penguin with a chick at an altitude of almost 300 meters above sea level

Screenshot from Vadym Tkachenko’s video

Polar scientists from the Arctic research station “Akademik Vernadskyi” recorded a subantarctic penguin, which with its pair built a nest at an altitude of almost 300 meters above sea level. They call this case special.

This was reported by the National Antarctic Science Center.

“To understand how high it is: the biologist of the 28th UAE, Vadym Tkachenko, who counted birds, descended from there for more than half an hour.

A scientist discovered a penguin with a chick on Cape Tuxen of the Kyiv Peninsula. It is located near Galindez Island, where the Ukrainian Antarctic station “Akademik Vernadskyi” is located. – polar explorers say.

Until now, the highest points where scientists found penguin nests were rocks on the islands of Bute and Hovgard – their height reached 180 meters above sea level.

“In general, subantarctic penguins like to build nests on elevations, because this way there are less chances that they will be covered with snow, and accordingly, more chances for successful breeding of offspring.

But why some black-and-white birds climb to such heights – scientists do not yet have a logical explanation.” – they say in the National Academy of Sciences.

They suggest that this trend may be related to the lack of snow-free areas at the time of the beginning of nesting of birds. This may encourage penguins to look for places where the snow melts faster.

“Or maybe they just like the wonderful view of Antarctica that opens up from such places.” – scientists joke.

NASC also reminds that Ukrainian scientists constantly monitor the dynamics of distribution and reproduction of Antarctic birds in the context of climate change.

Earlier we wrote that Ukrainian polar explorers showed the first meeting with a fin whale – one of the largest whales in the world.