Inquisitive gentoo penguin

Inquisitive gentoo penguin

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People & Blogs

Tags:

• gentoo
• penguin

[wanderlustg]

The 5m rule also means no one else can approach wildlife even if it is sat on someone else, you still have to let it approach you. The easiest way to do that is sit 5m away and wait, and you'll often get rewarded.

[wanderlustg]

We were tourists on an expedition.

No you do not get to pet them. There is a strict 5m rule when interacting with the wildlife throughout the expedition. This means that you cannot approach closer than 5m to wildlife as it is a safe distance for the animal to not experience any stress. However penguins are incredibly inquisitive and do not have the same rules so they come directly up to you for a closer look, as you can see.

[wanderlustg]

In fact adults have been observed running away from chicks, one view of this is that the parents are in fact testing to see if the chicks really are still hungry. Only a hungry chick it is thought will run after the parent still begging. A full chick will not bother to run, but will still stand their begging.

Hope that helps!

[wanderlustg]

2)The chick is not sick, hungry yes. Penguins cannot swim when they are moulting and thus cannot go out to see to feed. In adults this means they can get a bit grumpy as they have to stand around expending a lot of energy moulting and they cannot feed. In penguin chicks they have not been out to see yet and are, like all kids, hungry all of the time, and it is instinct to try and eat anything and scrounge anything to eat.

[wanderlustg]

@wibas2008

1) The white patch under the neck of the gentoo are feathers. Basically the gentoo penguin chicks are born with a 'fluffy' coat of feathers which they then moult into their adult waterproof feathers. What you can see in the white patch is the last of the moulting

[wanderlustg]

No. The only reason it ran off like it did at the end was a combination of

1) it couldn't eat the black parts of the jacket

2) it thought it heard one of it's parents elsewhere

The whole existence of the chicks at this stage of their lives is to eat. Mum and dad are good, but if anyone or anything else will feed them it's worth a try.

It's not like they have much else to do whilst waiting for the parents to return with food but sleep, poo and scrounge food!

[WolfySnackrib666]

To die in battle for human politics ain't worth it. Humanity and the so called human value ain't worth shit. I'd take a bullet for a penguin though, I'd die to save these cute little rascals! I'll never submit to dying for the human agenda. I'll die for Pingu-genda!

[Strymn]

lol, penguin pinned you down, he da boss

[Spamazoid]

Gentoo. - Is that Camera running linux?

Gentoo - What the hell he's got a mac in his pocket

[imatcarletonuni]

is this a team of scientists or tourists? Did u get to pet them?

[Kowareteirutenshi]

1:07 penguin gets annoyed :)))

[jezawood84]

This clips makes me smile.  So cute!

[LizzieA03]

That looks like it was an awesome experience to have! I'd love to see penguins in their natural habitat like that, they are so awesome! You are a lucky guy.