There’s never a shortage of interesting moments when you stay in Antarctica. That’s what I imagine it’s like, anyway. And this TikTok sure seems to confirm that this is the case.
The video is shared by the International Polar Foundation (IPF). According to their bio on Instagram, this non-profit “works to bridge the divide between the scientific research community, policy makers and the general public.”
In other words, they do lots of important work for the betterment of our environment. Every once in a while, though, they take a moment to befriend the local animals, like a penguin that wanders out into the depths of Antarctica.
Penguin Surprises Scientists in Antarctica with an Unexpected Visit
@int.polarfoundation Today’s International Penguin Awareness Day! We encountered this little #Adelie #penguin at 80 km from the coast in #Queen #Maud Land early November. Adelie penguins are likely to increase in population size due to climate warming, but 11 out of the 18 existing penguin species are registered as #vulnerable or #endangered at the #IUCN. Two more are registered as near #threatened ♬ Funny – FASSounds
You might be thinking, “But they’re in Antarctica — of course they’re going to see some penguins!” But here’s the thing about this particular bird: They’re especially far away from home. In fact, they’re nearly 50 miles away from the coast, where they’re expected to be at.
Still, this unexpected visit is nothing but a delight for these hard-working scientists. Naturally, they take a moment to capture the moment the adorable penguin approaches them, sliding on their tummy to do so.
The penguin stays for a minute, clearly amused by whatever it is the humans are doing. After a while, they lets out a noise as if to bid the humans farewell before making their way back to the coast.
I wonder if the penguin “told” the rest of their bird-family and friends about the rare human sighting they experienced!