Not so long ago it became known that penguins at Vernadsky station laid their first eggs. And now some couples already have fluffy babies.
One of the penguins was seen near Cape Marina and the other on the other side at Cape Penguin Point. The cubs will remain in their nest for about a month: their parents will feed and warm them.
For now, the penguins are still tiny and covered in gray fluff. In a month they will molt and change down to their usual black and white feathers. Then, their parents entrust them to the « nursery » and they fetch krill from the sea to feed the young.
Interestingly, they undoubtedly find their « offspring » in the « nursery » and only share food with them, – says the National Antarctic Science Center.
When penguins grow up and completely replace down with feathers, they begin to learn to swim. By then, « babies » will be the same size as adult penguins.
About 3,700 subantarctic penguins (or Gentoo penguins) now live near the station. They started nesting quite early this year, laying eggs in early November. It is usually closer to the middle of the month.
