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Adventurous Penguin Waddles Around Icy Playground

Screenshot from Baby Penguin Tried To Make Friends | Snow Chick: A Penguins Tale: BBC Earth. Source: Youtube, Uploaded: BBC Earth

Penguins are family animals, nothing taught me that better than working at the South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB). They need a colony to survive – penguins join together to avoid extinction.

Penguins That Huddle Together Stay Together

Screenshot from Baby Penguin Tried To Make Friends | Snow Chick: A Penguins Tale: BBC Earth. Source: Youtube, Uploaded: BBC Earth

Penguin Colony numbers are going down rapidly. Without a colony, they will not make it. Penguins need a family for hunting, nesting, breeding, and protection. The saying ‘there is safety in numbers’ is true. By sticking together they are more protected from predators. Along with this, bigger colonies can maintain and defend their territory. This makes the mating season a lot easier.

Baby Penguin Development And Parental Care

Screenshot from Baby Penguin Tried To Make Friends | Snow Chick: A Penguins Tale: BBC Earth. Source: Youtube, Uploaded: BBC Earth

This video shows us the beginning stages of the chicks leaving their mother pouch and venturing into the icy wonderland. This is a scary time for the young ones but soon, by the age of 4 months, they will be completely independent. Mum’s regurgitated food will no longer be available to them, and they will be left to fend for themselves. Poor little guys.

Fluffy Curious And Afraid

Screenshot from Baby Penguin Tried To Make Friends | Snow Chick: A Penguins Tale: BBC Earth. Source: Youtube, Uploaded: BBC Earth

This little guy is happy at mum’s feet. The late bloomer is not ready to make friends or step out into the world. There is protection in the pouch, out there he does not know what may be lurking within the ice. Cuddled up to Mum he is warm and comfy, unfortunately for him, Mum has other plans.

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Tough Guidance From A Tender Heart

Screenshot from Baby Penguin Tried To Make Friends | Snow Chick: A Penguins Tale: BBC Earth. Source: Youtube, Uploaded: BBC Earth

This chick’s mother knows the hardships of penguin life. She understands that her baby needs to go out and make friends. With some tough love, she pokes and nubbles him with her beak, encouraging him to get a move on. Penguins are smart and knowledgeable creatures, this mother penguin wants the best for her little chick even if she accidentally knocked him over a few times…oops!

Tiny But Tenacious

Screenshot from Baby Penguin Tried To Make Friends | Snow Chick: A Penguins Tale: BBC Earth. Source: Youtube, Uploaded: BBC Earth

Still unsure, the brave little guy heads off on the hunt for friendship. The video shows that with each step he slowly realizes that maybe life outside of the pouch isn’t too bad. There are many young ones just like him, someone must want to be his friend. The only problem is that this late bloomer is the runt of the colony, everyone is bigger and stronger than him. None of them could match up to his tenacity though!

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The Big And The Bold

Screenshot from Baby Penguin Tried To Make Friends | Snow Chick: A Penguins Tale: BBC Earth. Source: Youtube, Uploaded: BBC Earth

Our little runt had set out with great courage and determination. He was bold but the others were bigger. The video shows this little penguin trying to cuddle up to a possible new friend. Sadly, the only result was a few pecks from the bigger chick. The little guy is trying so hard to be accepted by the others, trying to make friends, but it’s hard being the runt and the smallest of them all. Heading back to his mother seems to be the safest option.

Hunting For The Troops

Screenshot from Baby Penguin Tried To Make Friends | Snow Chick: A Penguins Tale: BBC Earth. Source: Youtube, Uploaded: BBC Earth

Whilst the females are encouraging their young to make friends and go on adventures, the males are out in search of food for the colonies. During the filming of this video, these penguins had just finished the molting season, going weeks without being able to go into the water in search of food. Holding their breath for up to 20 minutes, these male penguins are delighted to be back on the hunt, diving deeper than any other bird in the world. The wife and kids are waiting!

The Runt Grows Up

Screenshot from Baby Penguin Tried To Make Friends | Snow Chick: A Penguins Tale: BBC Earth. Source: Youtube, Uploaded: BBC Earth

Meanwhile, back on the ice, the colony is huddling together to keep their temperatures regulated. The video takes us 3 weeks forward where the little chick is growing along with his confidence. He may be growing up fast but he is not ready to leave mum. We are always students in life, we never stop learning, and this little chick is still learning. The journey goes on for the little runt.

We Are All Learning Together

Screenshot from Baby Penguin Tried To Make Friends | Snow Chick: A Penguins Tale: BBC Earth. Source: Youtube, Uploaded: BBC Earth

Sometimes we think we know everything, but we never do. This little feathered fluff-ball is the same. He may think he knows everything but he still has a lot to learn. Waddling away he decides that he is old enough to adventure alone, his mother following, knowing she can not yet let him out of her sight. Our little runt has a long life ahead of him!

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The Future Is Bright And Feathery

Screenshot from Baby Penguin Tried To Make Friends | Snow Chick: A Penguins Tale: BBC Earth. Source: Youtube, Uploaded: BBC Earth

There are 18 different types of penguins, most people only know of 4: Rockhoppers, Emperors, African, and King. If we don’t look after these cuties, the future generations won’t know any of them. Mass fishing, collecting so many fish that half of them are thrown away, is one of the reasons that other creatures are becoming emaciated, falling ill, and dying. Pollution, climate change, human disturbance, etc. are a few of the many ways that we are contributing to the extinction of Earth’s beautiful creatures. We need to make a change and we need to start now.