All language subtitles for Waterworld.Africa.Series.1.3of8.Urban.Penguins.720p.HDTV.x264.AAC.MVGroup.org.eng

THE SOUTHWESTERN COAST OF AFRICA

IS HOME TO A REMARKABLE COLONY
OF SEABIRDS.

THEY CANNOT TAKE TO THE AIR,

BUT THEY GLIDE EFFORTLESSLY
UNDERWATER.

MASTER DIVERS
AND SWIFT OCEAN HUNTERS.

ONCE THE MOST NUMEROUS SEABIRD
ON THE AFRICAN COAST,

THEY ARE NOW THREATENED
WITH EXTINCTION.

BUT ONE SMALL COLONY

IS POTENTIALLY
REVERSING THEIR FORTUNES

THESE ARE THE AFRICAN PENGUINS
OF BOULDERS BEACH.

THE FOGS OF LATE SUMMER ARE
BLANKETING THE CAPE PENINSULA.

IT'S PEAK NESTING SEASON
FOR AFRICAN PENGUINS.

ONE OF THE WORLD'S
18 SPECIES OF PENGUINS,

THEY ARE THE ONLY TYPE
BREEDING ON THIS VAST CONTINENT.

27 COLONIES
REMAIN IN SOUTHERN AFRICA.

AND OF THESE

THE AFRICAN PENGUINS
BREEDING AT BOULDERS BEACH

ARE THE MOST UNUSUAL.

IN THE EARLY 1980S

PENGUINS BEGAN ESTABLISHING
THEMSELVES ON THIS URBAN BEACH

ON THE SOUTHWESTERN TIP
OF AFRICA.

THIS IS NOW THE LARGEST OF ONLY
THREE KNOWN MAINLAND COLONIES

CONTAINING MORE THAN
A THOUSAND BREEDING PAIRS.

ORDINARILY, AFRICAN PENGUINS
PREFER TO BREED ON ISLANDS

WHERE THEY ARE SAFE
FROM MAINLAND PREDATORS.

FOR CENTURIES SEABIRDS FLOCKED
TO THESE ISLANDS;

THEIR ACCUMULATED DROPPINGS
KNOWN AS GUANO

WERE MORE THAN
33 FEET THICK IN PLACES.

DURING THE EARLY 1900S,

HUMANS STARTED COLLECTING GUANO
USING IT FOR FERTILIZER

AND EVEN COSMETICS -

OBLITERATING THE PENGUINS' HOMES
FORCING THEM TO LOOK ELSEWHERE.

THESE HOUSES
ARE ALL THAT REMAINS

OF THIS ONCE THRIVING BUSINESS.

THIS CREATED
A GRAVE PROBLEM FOR PENGUINS

BECAUSE THEY RELY ON
GUANO TO BUILD THEIR NESTS,

DIGGING COOL BURROWS
IN THE HARDENED LAYERS.

WITHOUT GUANO THEY ARE FORCED
TO NEST OUT IN THE OPEN

AND RISK OVERHEATING.

PEOPLE ALSO HARVESTED
PENGUIN EGGS AS A DELICACY.

BETWEEN 1900 AND 1930 ALONE

OVER 13-MILLION EGGS
WERE COLLECTED.

CONSEQUENTLY, POPULATIONS OF
AFRICAN PENGUIN HAVE COLLAPSED.

TODAY THE LARGEST SURVIVING
BREEDING COLONIES

ARE LOCATED ON TWO SMALL ISLANDS
IN ALGOA BAY

NEAR PORT ELIZABETH.

CONSERVATIONISTS ARE BATTLING

TO SAVE THE ELEVEN AND A HALF
THOUSAND BIRDS LIVING HERE.

AROUND 50 PERCENT
OF THE GLOBAL POPULATION,

THEY'RE CRITICAL TO THE SURVIVAL
OF THE AFRICAN SPECIES.

AS ARE THE PENGUINS THAT WERE
FORCED TO MOVE TO THE MAINLAND.

THE PENGUINS AT BOULDERS

LIVE SIDE BY SIDE
WITH THEIR HUMAN NEIGHBORS!

THE COLONY HAS BECOME AN
IMPORTANT TOURIST ATTRACTION

AND IS PROTECTED BY
TABLE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK.

THE SUMMER BREEDING SEASON

IS THE MOST STRESSFUL TIME OF
THE YEAR FOR THE PENGUINS.

MATES NEED TO BE FOUND,

NESTS BUILT.

PARENTS ARE UNDER
CONSTANT PRESSURE

TO PROVIDE FOR GROWING CHICKS -

AND TO PROTECT THEM
FROM THE ELEMENTS.

PREDATORS
ARE CONSTANTLY ON THE PROWL.

AT SEA

CAPE FUR SEALS CATCH ADULTS
COMING AND GOING FROM THE BEACH,

WHILE ON LAND

GULLS LOOK TO GRAB EGGS
AND CHICKS FROM THEIR NESTS.

LESS THAN HALF THE SIZE OF THE
BETTER-KNOWN EMPEROR PENGUINS,

AFRICAN PENGUINS SELDOM STAND
TALLER THAN 28 INCHES.

THEY ARE SUPERBLY ADAPTED TO
THEIR AQUATIC LIVES.

FEATHERS HAVE FLATTENED SHAFTS
AND OVERLAP,

CREATING A WATERPROOF,
WELL-INSULATED BARRIER.

WHILE A THICK LAYER OF BLUBBER

INSULATES THEM IN WATERS COLDER
THAN 59 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

THEIR BODIES ARE STREAMLINED -

SHARP BEAKS
SLICE THROUGH THE WATER

AND THEIR BLACK AND WHITE,
CONTRASTING COLORATION

MAKES THEM
HARD TO SPOT IN WATER.

SOLID BONES LACK THE AIR POCKETS
THAT MANY FLYING BIRDS HAVE,

MAKING PENGUINS LESS BUOYANT -

HELPING THEM SWIM
UNDER THE SURFACE.

UNABLE TO FLY IN AIR,

THEIR HARDENED WINGS
PROPEL THEM IN WATER

AT SPEEDS OF UP TO
12 MILES AN HOUR.

AFRICAN PENGUINS ALONG WITH
THEIR CLOSE RELATIVES

(THE MAGELLANIC, HUMBOLDT
AND GALAPAGOS PENGUINS)

BREED DURING WARM SUMMER MONTHS.

WHICH CREATES A PROBLEM -

UNLIKE MOST PENGUINS THAT ARE
ADAPTED TO COLD,

SOMETIMES FREEZING CONDITIONS,

AFRICAN PENGUINS
STRUGGLE AGAINST OVERHEATING.

ESPECIALLY
DURING THE BREEDING SEASON

WHEN THEY SPEND
WEEKS ON BEACHES

EXPOSED
TO THE HARSH AFRICAN SUN.

PANTING HELPS KEEP
THEIR BODY TEMPERATURES DOWN.

BEING ADAPTED TO THE WATER HAS
ITS DOWNSIDE ON LAND HOWEVER.

THEIR FEET ARE BETTER ADAPTED
AS RUDDERS

THAN FOR MANEUVERING
OVER ROUGH TERRAIN.

AND THEY ARE SOMEWHAT
LESS THAN NIMBLE ON LAND.

ON THE FRINGES OF THE COLONY

THESE YOUNG HOPEFULS
ARE COURTING.

THEY ARE FIRST TIMERS

EMBARKING ON THEIR
MAIDEN BREEDING SEASON.

FINDING THE RIGHT PARTNER
IS IMPORTANT

BECAUSE AFRICAN
PENGUINS ARE MONOGAMOUS

AND OVERCOMING THE STRESSES
OF THE BREEDING SEASON

REQUIRES A PARTNER
YOU CAN RELY ON.

THE PAIR ENGAGE
IN MUTUAL GROOMING

TO CEMENT THE ARRANGEMENT.

OLDER BIRDS ARE ALSO ARRIVING
TO BEGIN THEIR BREEDING EFFORT.

THEY'VE SPENT MONTHS
FISHING AT SEA.

MALES ARRIVE FIRST,

FEMALES A FEW DAYS LATER.

AFTER A FEW DAYS
RE-ESTABLISHING THEIR BONDS

WITH DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION
AND MUTUAL GROOMING

THEY RECLAIM A NEST SITE
IN THEIR COLONY.

NEARLY ALL BREEDING PAIRS

RETURN TO THE SAME COLONY
EVERY SEASON.

THE NEW PAIR JOINS OTHER
COLONY MEMBERS IN THE WATER.

VIGOROUSLY SPLASHING WATER
THROUGH THEIR FEATHERS

HELPS REMOVE DUST AND MITES.

THIS DAILY RITUAL IS CRITICAL

IN KEEPING THEIR FEATHERS
IN GOOD CONDITION.

AFTER BATHING THEY SPREAD OIL
ON THEIR FEATHERS

FROM A SPECIAL PREEN GLAND

LOCATED ABOVE
THE BASE OF THEIR TAIL.

THE OIL PROTECTS FEATHERS
AND ASSISTS IN WATERPROOFING.

FEATHER CARE IS CRITICAL -

WITHOUT THE INSULATION
THEY PROVIDE IN WATER

THE PENGUINS WILL NOT SURVIVE.

AFTER RINSING THEIR FEATHERS

IT'S TIME FOR THE NEW
YOUNG COUPLE TO FIND A NEST.

WITH NO GUANO TO DIG INTO

THEY ARE LOOKING
FOR AN ALTERNATIVE

COOL, SHELTERED SITE.

THIS CONCRETE DRAIN PIPE IS NOT
QUITE WHAT SHE WAS HOPING FOR -

BUT MAYBE IT'LL DO.

MAYBE NOT

SOMEBODY ELSE
HAS ALREADY CLAIMED THIS SPOT.

WITH SHELTER IN SHORT SUPPLY,

MOST PAIRS END UP NESTING
ON THE BUSY BEACH.

IT MAY BE
A LITTLE CROWDED AND HOT,

BUT IF YOU'RE NOT TOO FUSSY
THERE'S A SPOT FOR EVERYONE.

THE FEMALE STARTS
A SHALLOW SCRAPE.

THE MALE HEADS OFF TO
FIND SOME CREATURE COMFORTS

EVERY PAIR
HAS THEIR OWN PREFERENCES.

AFRICAN PENGUINS ARE
AGGRESSIVELY TERRITORIAL

AND NAVIGATING THE CRAMPED
SURROUNDINGS

IS OFTEN A CHALLENGE.

DELIVERING MATERIALS
AND MUTUAL DISPLAYS

HELPS CEMENT THE LIFE-LONG BOND
BETWEEN THE BREEDING COUPLE.

IN BOULDERS

AFRICAN PENGUINS MAKE SHALLOW
SCRAPES ON THE BEACH,

OR BUILD NESTS UNDER THE THICK
DUNE VEGETATION.

BUT THEY PREFER TO NEST
IN BURROWS.

HOWEVER, ATTEMPTS TO DIG DEEP
BURROWS ARE USUALLY FUTILE HERE

AS THEY COLLAPSE
IN THE SOFT SAND.

SO CONSERVATIONISTS
PROVIDE PLASTIC BURROWS

TO ASSIST BREEDING PAIRS

BY SHELTERING THEM
FROM THE ELEMENTS;

ROUGHLY 13 PERCENT
MORE CHICKS SURVIVE

IN THESE ARTIFICIAL HOMES.

EVERY SURVIVING EGG

IS ONE STEP FURTHER
FROM THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION.

AFRICAN PENGUINS LAY TWO EGGS
A FEW DAYS APART.

EGGS ARE JUMBO SIZED
FOR A SMALL BIRD -

ABOUT TWICE THE SIZE OF
AN AVERAGE CHICKEN'S EGG.

LAYING IS JUST THE FIRST
CHALLENGE,

ABOUT 40 DAYS OF PATIENT
INCUBATION FOR EACH EGG

NOW LIE AHEAD.

A DUTY SHE SHARES
WITH HER PARTNER.

PARENTS ALTERNATE FAIRLY,

EACH SITTING ON THE NEST
ONE DAY,

FISHING THE NEXT.

THE NEW FATHER
IS RETURNING TO SEA TO HUNT.

HE'S LOOKING FOR SMALL SHOALING
FISH SUCH AS MACKEREL,

ROUND HERRING,
SARDINES AND ANCHOVIES.

THESE ARE FOUND IN LARGE NUMBERS

IN THE COLD PRODUCTIVE WATERS
OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC.

UPWELLING ALONG THIS COAST

BRINGS NUTRIENT-RICH WATER
TO THE SURFACE

MEANING THERE'S
PLENTY OF FOOD AVAILABLE.

ADULT PENGUINS TEND TO FEED
IN SMALL GROUPS

CLOSER TO THEIR COLONIES -

RARELY VENTURING MORE THAN
65 MILES FROM HOME.

THEY ARE EXCEPTIONAL SWIMMERS

ABLE TO REACH SPEEDS WHEN
HUNTING OF 13 MILES AN HOUR.

TRIPS MAY LAST 10 HOURS

AND SOMETIMES LONGER.

FLYING SEABIRDS LIKE CORMORANTS
AND GANNETS TRAVEL FURTHER

AND TEN TIMES FASTER THAN
PENGUINS ON FORAGING TRIPS.

BUT PENGUINS HAVE THE ADVANTAGE

THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO PURSUE
PREY DEEPER UNDERWATER

THAN THEIR FLYING NEIGHBORS.

THEY CAN DIVE TO AN ASTONISHING
430 FEET,

WHERE THEIR SMALL BODIES ARE
SUBJECT TO IMMENSE PRESSURE.

BY COMPARISON,

SCUBA DIVERS RARELY
DIVE DEEPER THAN 130 FEET.

AFRICAN PENGUINS
REMAIN UNDERWATER,

HOLDING THEIR BREATH, FOR ON
AVERAGE TWO AND A HALF MINUTES.

MAKING THEM EFFICIENT
UNDERSEA HUNTERS.

BUT HUMANS ALSO TARGET
THE SAME FISH STOCKS.

FOOD SHORTAGES
DUE TO OVERFISHING

ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE DRAMATIC
DECLINE IN PENGUIN POPULATIONS.

PENGUINS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

ARE HAVING TO SWIM FURTHER
AND FURTHER TO FIND ENOUGH FOOD.

AUTHORITIES STOPPED ALL
COMMERCIAL FISHING IN FALSE BAY,

EXTENDING OVER 380 SQUARE MILES
BEYOND THEIR BEACH.

ESSENTIALLY PROTECTING
THEIR HUNTING GROUNDS.

IT'S NOT JUST
THE DANGER OF STARVATION

THAT PENGUINS FACE ON
THEIR FISHING TRIPS.

AT SEA THEY ALSO RUN
A GAUNTLET OF PREDATORS.

CAPE FUR SEALS IN PARTICULAR

TARGET PENGUINS COMING
AND GOING FROM THEIR COLONIES.

IRONICALLY, THEY TEND
NOT TO EAT PENGUIN FLESH,

BUT PREFER
TO OPEN THEIR STOMACHS

AND FEED ON THE FISH INSIDE.

ONCE SEALS LEARN TO PICK OFF
PENGUINS

THEY CAN BE DEVASTATING

ONE RECORDED SEAL KILLED AND
DISEMBOWELED 65 PENGUINS

IN A DAY.

BIGGER PREDATORS

SUCH AS GREAT WHITE SHARKS
AND SEVEN-GILL COWSHARKS

ALSO TARGET PENGUINS.

BUT BEING SMALL AND NIMBLE
IN THE WATER

MEANS NARROW ESCAPES
ARE COMMON

AND AS LONG AS THE WOUNDS
DO NOT BECOME INFECTED

VICTIMS ARE USUALLY
ABLE TO LIMP ALONG

WITHOUT TOO MANY ILL EFFECTS.

THE FATHER RETURNS
SAFELY FROM FISHING.

THEY GREET EACH OTHER

AND SHE CHECKS HER EGGS
ARE SECURE IN THE NEST

BEFORE MAKING WAY.

HE TAKES HIS TURN ON THE NEST.

THE FEMALE DOES NOT HEAD OFF
TO SEA IMMEDIATELY.

THERE'S TIME FOR A STRETCH AND
TO EXERCISE THE VOCAL CHORDS

IN A MUTUAL DISPLAY
OF AFFECTION.

THIS BRAYING GIVES THESE NOISY
CHARACTERS THEIR NICKNAME -

JACKASS PENGUINS.

CALLS ARE IMPORTANT FOR
COMMUNICATING, MATE RECOGNITION

AND AS A DISPLAY
FOR POTENTIAL MATES.

THE BOND
BETWEEN MALES AND FEMALES

IS NOT ONLY CRUCIAL
FOR EGGS TO SURVIVE

BUT FOR NEWLY HATCHED CHICKS
AS WELL.

INITIALLY YOUNG CHICKS ARE TOO
SMALL TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES.

THIS FIRST-TIME PARENT
DOESN'T SEEM TO REALIZE

HER CHICKS
ARE AT RISK OF OVERHEATING.

THEIR DOWNY FEATHERS
ARE NOT WELL INSULATED

AND THEY NEED A PARENT
TO SHELTER THEM

DURING THE HEAT OF THE DAY

AND KEEP THEM WARM AT NIGHT.

PREDATORS,
SUCH AS THIS KELP GULL

ALSO LOOK FOR ANY OPPORTUNITY
TO STRIKE.

GULLS ARE THE MOST
COMMON PREDATOR OF EGGS,

AND CHICKS
LESS THAN 15 DAYS OLD.

BUT HE'S OUTNUMBERED HERE
AND BACKS OFF FOR NOW.

AS THE CHICKS GROW THEY BECOME
MORE DEMANDING

AND THE PRESSURE
ON THE PARENTS GROWS TOO.

IT'S NOT ONLY SHADING THE EVER
BIGGER BUNDLES OF FLUFF

THAT'S CHALLENGING.

PARENTS MUST PROVIDE EACH CHICK

WITH MORE THAN ONE POUND OF
FOOD A DAY,

ON TOP OF THEIR OWN
REQUIREMENTS.

IF THEIR FISHING EXPEDITIONS
PROVE FRUITLESS

THEIR CHICKS WILL STARVE.

BUT PARENTS WON'T COMPROMISE

THEIR OWN HEALTH FOR THEIR
YOUNGSTERS -

IF THEY LOOK AFTER THEMSELVES

THEY WILL HAVE THE CHANCE TO
RAISE MANY FUTURE BROODS.

FINDING ENOUGH FOOD

IS CRUCIAL TO THE SUCCESS
OF THE ENTIRE BREEDING SEASON.

CHICKS ARE FED ON FISH
REGURGITATED BY THEIR PARENTS,

BECAUSE THIS IS THE EASIEST WAY

FOR THE BIRDS TO CARRY MEALS
BACK TO THE COLONY.

PARENTS ARE EVEN ABLE TO SLOW
THEIR DIGESTION

WHILE CARRYING FOOD

SO THAT THEY
CAN GIVE MORE OF THE MEAL

TO THE YOUNGSTERS BACK HOME.

EVERY MORSEL IS PRECIOUS

AND CHICKS PUSH THEIR BEAKS INTO
THEIR PARENTS' THROATS

TO PREVENT SPILLAGE.

INSIDE, THEIR BEAKS AND TONGUES
HAVE SHARP, BACKWARD-FACING,

TEETH-LIKE STRUCTURES
TO CAPTURE SLIPPERY PREY.

REARING TWO CHICKS SUCCESSFULLY
IS A CONSIDERABLE CHALLENGE.

IN 9 OUT OF 10 NESTS
ONLY ONE CHICK WILL SURVIVE;

THE SECOND EGG
ACTS AS INSURANCE.

FIRST-TIME BREEDERS
IN PARTICULAR

OFTEN FAIL TO PROVIDE
ENOUGH FOOD FOR THEIR CHICKS.

EVEN INCUBATING EGGS PROVES
CHALLENGING FOR THEM.

WITH ONE CHICK ALREADY HATCHED,

THIS INEXPERIENCED FEMALE

HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO KEEP
HER OTHER EGG INCUBATED.

IF SHE DOESN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM
IT WILL NOT HATCH.

THE HUNGRY GULLS DON'T GIVE UP,

THEY ARE AN UNWANTED GUEST
BUT REMAIN SINGLE MINDED.

BUT PENGUINS ARE BRAVE ENOUGH TO
KEEP THE GULL AT BAY.

IT'S A NARROW ESCAPE.

TWO SPECIES OF GULL THRIVE
ALONGSIDE THE PENGUINS.

HARTLAUB'S GULLS

PREY ON SMALL INVERTEBRATES
ALONG THE WATER'S EDGE.

LARGER KELP GULLS,
WHICH ARE EXPERT SCAVENGERS,

ALSO DO WELL
IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS

AND MAKE THE MOST
OF ANY DISCARDED SCRAPS.

THEY ARE ALSO HUNTERS,

BUT THEIR BEAKS ARE NOT STRONG
ENOUGH TO OPEN SHELLFISH

LIKE MUSSELS AND LIMPETS
LIVING ON THE ROCKY COASTLINE.

AND SO, SOME INDIVIDUALS HAVE
AN INGENIOUS SOLUTION.

SECOND TIME LUCKY.

OYSTERCATCHERS DO NOT NEED
TO RESORT TO THESE TACTICS.

THEIR BRIGHT ORANGE BILLS

PRY LIMPETS AND MUSSELS
FROM THE ROCKS.

FINDING ENOUGH FOOD
IS LESS OF A CHALLENGE FOR THEM

BECAUSE PARENTS NEST ON THE
BEACHES AND DUNES

WITHIN A FEW HUNDRED YARDS
OF A BOUNTIFUL LARDER.

AND YET, HUMANS ALSO AFFECT
OYSTERCATCHERS.

OYSTERCATCHERS HAVE REMARKABLY
CAMOUFLAGED NESTS,

BUT IF DISTURBED

PREDATORS CAN NIP IN
AND STEAL THEIR EGGS.

AS WITH PENGUINS

THIS HAS ALSO CAUSED ALARMING
DECLINES IN THEIR POPULATIONS

AROUND SOUTHERN AFRICA.

BACK ON BOULDERS BEACH,

THIS NEIGHBORING COUPLE
HAS LOST AN EGG

AND ARE NOW
ONLY REARING ONE CHICK.

THE CHICK IS BENEFITING
FROM THE TRAGEDY.

WITHOUT THE NEED TO SHARE FOOD

IT'S GROWING BIGGER AND FASTER
THAN THE REST OF THE COHORT.

SINGLE CHICKS BENEFIT
FROM THE UNDIVIDED ATTENTION

OF BOTH PARENTS.

AND ATTENTION
IS CRITICAL TO SUCCESS.

A MOMENT'S LAPSED CONCENTRATION
HAS COST THIS COUPLE DEARLY.

IT'S A WELCOME MEAL
FOR THE GULL.

WHICH MEANS THE END
OF THE BREEDING SEASON

FOR THIS UNLUCKY PAIR.

FINALLY, THE GULL'S SUCCEEDED

WHICH BODES WELL
FOR HIS SURVIVAL

AND FUTURE BREEDING SUCCESS.

THE PENGUINS' LOSS
IS THE GULL'S GAIN.

FOR THE FIRST FIFTEEN DAYS

CHICKS HAVE TO BE FED,

GUARDED AND KEPT
WARM OR COOL BY THEIR PARENTS.

AFTER ABOUT 15 DAYS HOWEVER,

THE CHICKS ARE LARGE ENOUGH

AND THEIR FEATHERS ARE
SUFFICIENTLY DEVELOPED

FOR THEM TO CONTROL
THEIR OWN BODY TEMPERATURE.

BY 30 DAYS OLD

CHICKS ARE LARGE ENOUGH
TO BE LEFT ALONE,

ENABLING BOTH PARENTS
TO HUNT AT THE SAME TIME.

CHICKS ARE FED AS LONG AS THEY
REMAIN IN THE COLONY,

WHICH
DEPENDING ON THE FOOD AVAILABLE

MAY BE TWO OR THREE MONTHS.

BY THIS STAGE

THE CHICKS HAVE MOLTED INTO
THEIR JUVENILE FEATHERS.

THEY LOOK DIFFERENT
FROM THEIR PARENTS

AND ARE KNOWN AS BLUES

BECAUSE OF THE
BLUISH-GREY COLOR.

BLUES LACK THE PROMINENT

BLACK AND WHITE COLORATION
OF THE ADULTS.

IT'S THOUGHT
THAT THIS MAKES THEM

PARTICULARLY CAMOUFLAGED
IN THE WATER.

BLUES ARE MORE INDEPENDENT

AND ADULTS PAY THEM
INCREASINGLY LESS ATTENTION

AND MAY EVEN ENCOURAGE THEM
TO LEAVE THE NEST

AND HEAD OFF ON THEIR OWN.

BUT WITH INDEPENDENCE COMES
LIFE'S FIRST REAL CHALLENGES.

AND FINDING YOURSELF IN THE
WRONG PART OF TOWN

IN THIS COLONY

RESULTS IN A VICIOUS ATTACK.

PENGUINS ARE HIGHLY TERRITORIAL
AND AGGRESSIVE

AND DO NOT TOLERATE INTRUDERS.

THEY HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO GANG UP
ON OTHER BIRD INTRUDERS

AND PECK THEM TO DEATH.

NO HARM DONE THIS TIME.

AFTER 4 MONTHS

THE YOUNG PENGUINS ARE READY TO
HEAD TO SEA

FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THEIR OWN.

IT'S THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME
IN THEIR LIVES

AND ONLY HALF THE
YOUNGSTERS ENTERING THE WATER

WILL MAKE IT TO BREEDING AGE.

IT'S A TIME OF WANDERING OFTEN
620 MILES OR MORE FROM HOME.

IN CONTRAST,

ADULTS RARELY VENTURE MORE THAN
250 MILES FROM THEIR COLONY.

AT SEA THE YOUNG BIRDS GAIN
VALUABLE EXPERIENCE

PREPARING THEM FOR THEIR OWN
BREEDING EFFORTS IN LATER LIFE.

THE DISTANCE ALSO POSSIBLY HELPS
THEM AVOID COMPETITION

WITH ADULTS
CLOSER TO THE COLONIES.

JUVENILES RETAIN THEIR PLUMAGE
FOR ABOUT 18 MONTHS

BEFORE
RETURNING TO THEIR COLONIES

FOR THEIR FIRST MOLT
INTO ADULT COLORS.

PENGUINS CAN MOLT
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

BUT THE PEAK MOLTING SEASON
IN SPRING,

ALLOWS THEM ENOUGH TIME

TO PREPARE FOR THE LATE SUMMER
BREEDING SEASON.

FEATHERS ARE CRITICAL
FOR WATERPROOFING,

SO THEY MOLT
ALL THEIR FEATHERS IN ONE GO,

UNLIKE LAND BIRDS WHICH ARE
ABLE TO MOLT CONTINUOUSLY.

DURING MOLTING

PENGUINS MUST REMAIN ON LAND
AND ARE NOT ABLE TO HUNT AT SEA.

SO THEY SPEND
AN EXTENDED PERIOD FISHING

TO PREPARE FOR THEIR MOLT.

DURING THIS PERIOD
THEY EAT MORE THAN

TWO AND A HALF POUNDS
OF FISH A DAY,

LAYING DOWN EXTRA FAT,

OFTEN INCREASING THEIR BODY
WEIGHT BY 30 PERCENT OR MORE.

THE MOLT LASTS ABOUT 20 DAYS -

IT'S A DELICATE BALANCE
FOR THE PENGUINS

WHO NEED TO CONSERVE ENOUGH
RESOURCES TO MAKE IT THROUGH.

THEY CAN LOSE 3 OUNCES A DAY
DURING THE MOLT.

ONCE ALL THE FEATHERS ARE
REPLACED,

THE FAMISHED PENGUINS
RETURN TO SEA,

DESPERATELY IN NEED OF FOOD.

WITH THE MOLT BEHIND THEM

IT'S TIME
TO REPLENISH THEIR RESERVES

IN PREPARATION FOR
THE NEXT BREEDING SEASON.

THE YOUNG ADULTS THAT LEFT THEIR
COLONIES A YEAR OR TWO AGO,

AND HAVE SURVIVED THEIR
FORMATIVE YEARS AT SEA,

ARE RETURNING TO LAND IN SEARCH
OF MATES AND A PLACE TO BREED.

THEY DON'T ALWAYS RETURN
TO THE COLONIES OF THEIR BIRTH

AND WILL CHOSE NEW COLONIES
TO CALL THEIR OWN

IF THEY DISCOVER BETTER FEEDING
CONDITIONS IN THE AREA.

ONCE A NEW SITE IS ADOPTED
HOWEVER,

IT TENDS TO BECOME
THEIR COLONY FOR LIFE.

ONCE MORE,

THE ROCKS ARE FILLED
WITH HOPEFUL YOUNGSTERS

GINGERLY NAVIGATING THE TASK

OF FINDING
A LIFE-LONG MATE AND PARTNER.

WITH THE SPECIES UNDER THREAT,

THE BREEDING SUCCESS
OF THESE YOUNG HOPEFULS

IS NOT ONLY CRITICAL

TO THE FUTURE OF THE BOULDERS
BEACH COLONY...

BUT OF ALL
AFRICAN PENGUINS.

BOULDERS BEACH
IS GIVING AFRICAN PENGUINS

A SECOND CHANCE
FOR LONG TERM SURVIVAL.

AND BEING AN AFRICAN PENGUIN

IS ALL ABOUT ADAPTATION
AND SECOND CHANCES.

FOR THE PARENTS
WHO HAVE LOST EGGS OR CHICKS

THE NEXT BREEDING SEASON
IS AROUND THE CORNER.

FOR THOSE YOUNGSTERS
WHO SURVIVED

THE ADVENTURE
IS JUST BEGINNING.

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