Ukrainian polar explorers found a unique family of penguins in Antarctica.

Ukrainian polar explorers noticed a unique family of penguins on Galindez Island

Ukrainian polar explorers working at the Vernadsky station in Antarctica discovered a special family of penguins on Galindez Island. This family has an increasing number of young chicks - there are already three. This information was published on the page of the National Antarctic Scientific Center on Facebook.

Members of the environmental expedition from Ukraine explained that the presence of three young chicks in the family of subantarctic penguins living around the Vernadsky station is a very rare phenomenon. Typically, birds lay two eggs, as the chances of survival for three chicks are very low.

The reason is very simple - it is difficult for the parents to feed three chicks. However, as we can see, these penguin parents have managed their mission, as their chicks are already quite large. They are about three weeks old.

According to biologist Svyatoslav Davidenko from the 29th Ukrainian Antarctic expedition, this family is the only one on Galindez Island.

Three thousand penguins around the 'Vernadsky' station

In total, on the island where the 'Vernadsky' station is located, there are about two thousand young subantarctic penguins and about four thousand adults. Therefore, around the 'Vernadsky' station, there are six thousand penguins.

Ukrainian biologists study these birds in the context of climate change. The migration of subantarctic penguins over the last 20 years is one of the obvious signs of warming in Antarctica.

Other discoveries by Ukrainian polar explorers

Previously, polar explorers from the icebreaker 'Noosphere' made a photo of a cloud in the shape of a whale diving into the ocean of the sky.

It is worth noting that Ukrainian polar explorers showcased an unusual phenomenon in Antarctica - 'heavenly crests' - wavy clouds that assume a special shape due to Kelvin-Helmholtz instability: when two streams with different densities meet.

In addition, Ukrainian scientists at the 'Academician Vernadsky' station recorded a rare natural phenomenon for this region - a clear night sky in Antarctica, allowing for a view of the moon in all its beauty.

By the way, scientists stated that the area of sea ice in Antarctica is rapidly decreasing. This leads to global changes in weather and climate, as reported by the National Antarctic Scientific Center.

Moreover, Ukrainian polar explorers recorded a record wind speed near the Arctic station 'Academician Vernadsky,' which belongs to Ukraine.