01x03 - Rebels with a Cause

[bunniefuu]

[Narrator] Emperors

rule mainland Antarctica.

But other penguins

live off the edge

in some of the

most treacherous waters

on the planet.

-This is a seriously dangerous

place to be a penguin..

[Narrator] The Southern Ocean

-Look at them all

just piling in!

[Narrator] Home to

some of the fastest growing

colonies on earth.

40 million penguins

crowd its isolated shores.

-There's just

penguins everywhere.

[Narrator] Two years

immersed in their world

like never before.

We reveal the secrets

of their success.

-That was magic!

[Narrator] Now in the

face of a changing planet

some remarkable

penguins thrive

by taking risks.

-Look at

the speed under the boat!

[Narrator] Defying traditions.

Even standing up to giants.

Out here the bigger the risk,

the bigger the reward.

[gentle music playing]

[Narrator] In the northernmost

reaches of Antarctica.

One colony of

penguins is defying the odds

like never before.

This is Cuverville Island.

Home to 12,000 gentoo penguins.

Unlike most species,

gentoo numbers are on the rise.

At two and a

half feet tall,

they're the third largest

of all the penguins.

This father devotes

four months of every year

to raising chicks

This is his third round

at fatherhood.

He’s doing his part to

help build one of the fastest

growing penguin

colonies on the planet.

National Geographic

Explorer and cinematographer

Bertie Gregory

[Bertie] Just look

at this place.

[Narrator] is here to

uncover why gentoos are thriving

while other penguins aren't.

-We've arrived at

the Antarctic Peninsula.

An 800-mile finger

of land jutting into

the Southern Ocean

The biggest change

is the amount of exposed rock,

which is what the

Gentoos need to nest on.

As Antarctica warms, more

of it is being revealed.

And it's one reason

they're so successful.

But gentoos aren't

the only penguins who

make their homes on rock,

so there's

gotta be more to it.

[Narrator] One possibility is

their approach to parenting.

Emperors only have

one chick a year.

But like all gentoos,

this father has twins.

It doubles his chances of

passing down his genes.

But it's twice the work.

Each chick needs

700 calories a day.

That's like feeding

a toddler four Big Macs.

Normally one parent alone

can't meet this demand

And is often forced

to abandon the chicks.

But this father seems

to be on his own.

There's been no sign of

the twins' mother for days.

Now he needs to eat.

The chicks' future depends

on whether he returns.

The 100-yard trek to

the water is a long way

on 4-inch legs.

But his awkward

waddle is actually one of

the most efficient

walks of any animal.

Using almost 25% less

energy than a human.

And flippers do

help with balance.

Gentoos can hunt alone

but he knows

he'll be better off

in a group.

But not because

they're friends

This isn't Happy Feet.

It's the Hunger Games.

He knows from experience

not all will make it home.

As a single father better

one of them than him.

[suspenseful music playing]

[Bertie] See how

they're all just stacking up

at the water's edge?

The big question is

who's going to go in first?

Why are they

looking so nervous?

I'm getting in.

A leopard seal!

About 700 pounds.

They’re wily predators

with no fear.

The grizzly bears of the sea.

And a set of teeth like

you wouldn’t believe.

It just kept trying to

get around the back of me.

While I might not

be on the menu,

the penguins definitely are.

This is a, a seriously

dangerous place to be a penguin.

[Narrator] This leopard seal

can take six penguins a day.

The single father can't

afford to be one of them.

Scientists believe

he manages the risk

strategically.

His plan

seek cover and blend in.

Get to the

middle of the pack,

and stay there.

-Here they go!

Look at them

all just piling in.

This looks like total chaos,

but it's all part

of a strategy.

You think if you're a leopard

seal waiting in the water and

suddenly 100 penguins

come over your head.

It's going to be really

hard to single one out.

They're doing these

amazing evasive maneuvers

where they jink back and forth.

Their wings are

like a fighter jets

they're shorter, flatter,

and denser than flying birds.

Look at the speed

under the boat!

Gentoos are the

fastest penguin in the world!

They can hit

22 miles an hour.

But that's still slower

than a leopard seal.

This first 100 meters

is the most dangerous.

You know, the leopard

seal's tactic is to ambush

in the shallows.

So it's every penguin

for themselves.

There's a lep there,

there a lep!

It's not about being

the fastest penguin,

it's about just not

being the slowest.

Eesh.

Poor thing.

I mean the leopard

seal's got to eat,

this is the circle of life, but

it's a pretty brutal way to go.

[Narrator] By sticking

in the middle,

the twins' father makes it

safely out of the shallows.

And the rewards are

worth all the risk.

He'll swim up to 12 miles

feasting on the bounty

of the Southern Ocean.

[Bertie] I've never seen

so many gentoo penguins

all in one place out

in open water;

there must be a lot of

food around.

The Antarctic Circumpolar

Current brings cold,

nutrient-rich water

full of krill, fish, squid,

and gentoos can eat them all.

They have the most diverse

diet of any penguin here.

So as the oceans change,

and food sources come and go,

Gentoos continue to thrive.

[Narrator] Out in the

safety of the open ocean,

the gentoo father must decide

does he give up on his

twins and stay out at sea

or, return to face

the leopard seal,

and try to save his

chicks from starving?

Managing impossible choices

is the hard reality of

life in the Southern Ocean.

750 miles north

towards South America,

where the Southern Ocean

meets the Atlantic.

Another successful

penguin gambles with its

life just to get home.

[Narrator] This

courageous youngster is a

southern rockhopper.

She's been growing up

at sea for 4 years.

Now she's come of age

and returned home

to find her life partner.

She's two-thirds the

size of a gentoo just

a foot and a half tall.

But rockhoppers can do

something gentoos can't.

Her distinctive gait

explains their name.

More of a hop than a waddle.

Perfect for climbing

Which is helpful when

you live on a cliff

eight stories high.

Vertical mobility has helped

them conquer some of the

world's toughest islands

More than half a million

rockhoppers call this home.

And now the young female

must find her one.

Choosing a partner

is risky business.

Most mate for life.

And rockhopper courtship

takes some getting used to.

They're among the most

hot-tempered penguins

on the planet.

Single males build nests

to impress females

But in a colony this crowded,

space is tight.

So they have to fight

for their real estate.

The best spots to raise chicks

are sheltered from the wind,

but also have easy

access to the ocean.

She's looking for someone

in the right part of town.

A mate tough enough

to protect her kids

who will also care

well for his family.

The strong, sensitive type.

Ooh, what about him?

He's got great hair!

The brighter the crest,

the healthier the male.

And he's got a

great looking nest.

Around here

stones are status.

They help keep

nests dry.

But he's already taken.

And here she comes.

Just walk away.

What about him?

He looks single.

But he just lets the other

males take his stones

Perhaps he's old or tired.

She can do better.

Wait what is that?

[rockhopper call]

[Narrator] The young

rockhopper hears a melody

it's intoxicating.

Song plays a huge

role in courtship.

A confident song could

mean a strong mate.

[rockhopper call]

And this guy is louder

than your average rockhopper!

[rockhopper call]

And 50% larger.

And there's something weird

going on with his eyebrows.

Because he's a

different species.

He's a macaroni penguin

And he's definitely

caught her eye.

He's one of only

30 macaronis here.

But why he's here is a mystery.

The macaronis' stronghold

is nearly 1,000 miles

to the east.

Beyond singing,

macaroni penguins do one

thing really well.

Make more macaronis.

There are more

than 12 million.

More than any other

penguin on the planet.

And this is

their New York City,

over 2 million macaronis.

In a colony this big

real estate is at a premium.

Unlucky males who

can't find a quality place

to build a nest

have no chance

with the females.

Which could be why some

frustrated penguins leave

in search of a new life.

And it's possible

that's why this

macaroni's ancestors

made the journey.

Where he found his rockhopper.

But mating with an

outsider is a huge risk.

Interspecies penguin

couples have only been

recorded a handful of times.

The probability of them having

chicks is historically low.

-Wow look at you.

[Narrator] National Geographic

Explorer and penguin scientist

Popi Borboroglu is trying to

figure out why some penguins

still take this chance.

[Popi] I've been working with

penguins for 35 years now and

I have never been able

to see something like this.

We have a mixed pair

where each member of the couple

belongs to a different species.

We don't really know why

this is happening in the wild.

Maybe the female rockhopper

thinks that the male macaroni

will be able to protect

her chicks better.

Nobody's messing with the

adult macaroni male you know,

he's a big guy.

Two individuals of different

species coming together like

this as a couple.

Who knows where it could lead?

[Narrator] They seem

the perfect pair.

But the odds are against them.

Even if they succeed

in having chicks

there's no guarantee

they'll survive,

or be able to have

chicks of their own.

Back on the

Antarctic Peninsula,

this is the longest

the gentoo twins have ever

gone without eating.

With no sign either parent

they've now taken

.to begging their

neighbors for food.

But gentoos can't afford to

feed someone else's chicks.

The twins need their

father back and soon.

And there he is.

[uplifting music playing]

He's got a belly full of food

yet he's not giving it up.

He's making the twins

compete for their dinner.

It's possible his

tough love parenting

has a purpose.

He could be making them

stronger and more resilient.

Making sure they're not last

when it's time to head to sea.

[uplifting music playing]

The winner gets to eat.

Mmmm, regurgitated krill.

For the loser?

There's always next time.

Like right now.

Their father

still has plenty more food.

He can run these

drills again and again,

up to dozen times a day.

He's determined to make

it work on his own.

-To survive here,

you've just got

to be so tough.

And soon it's going to be

time for the next generation

of gentoo to run that

leopard seal gauntlet.

Gentoos take big

risks for big rewards.

And that's why they're a

rare success story when other

penguins are really struggling.

[wind]

[narrator] The rockhopper

macaroni couple

is in uncharted waters.

Their huge gamble,

has paid off.

[Popi] Oh wow!

They're all fat,

they look healthy.

This is so great!

The chance to see this in the

wild is amazing for science,

because there are so many

new things that we can discover.

[Narrator] A rockhopper mom

And macaroni dad

Make rockaroni chicks.

Filmed in the wild for

the first time ever.

-Rockaronis are

absolutely fantastic.

When two species

come together like this,

it introduces new genes

into the next generation.

This couple is so special.

One in a million

couples like this can

really reshape species,

or even create a

completely new one.

We are literally

witnessing penguin evolution

before our eyes

[Narrator] If the young

rockaronis continue to

defy the odds

And have chicks of their own

This could be the special

blueprint that helps penguins

survive a changing world.

But first they have

to grow up.

Rockaroni chicks are bigger

so they need more food.

Like rockhoppers,

macaroni fathers are dedicated

stay at home dads

He won't leave the

nest for at least 3 weeks.

So their mother has

to do all the fishing.

She might just

about meet demand

if she takes the shortcut.

A route carved in

stone by her ancestors.

To a secret cove.

The easiest path to

the water for miles.

[inspirational music playing]

As the first wave enters

the mother seems

happy to wait her turn.

An ambush

The rockhopper mother is safe.

She learns why here

it's not always

good to be first.

A sea lion

a 600-pound k*ller

with a taste for blood.

Each victim a parent.

She'll have to find another way.

The safest option

would be a grueling

2-hour climb

over the island.

It's a setback this

colony doesn't need.

Industrial fishing and warmer

waters have helped push

rockhopper numbers down

70% from a century ago.

They might travel 100 miles

or more to find

the remaining fish.

And with her bigger

rockaroni chicks,

she's got to go the extra mile.

[suspenseful music playing]

[Narrator] For the

macaroni father

Mom's long trip

is taking its toll.

The chicks are hungry.

Shag birds

won't eat them

But, they're a nuisance.

Big Mac's size is

proving useful.

Luckily mom is almost home.

But, exhausted

and weighed down by

her full belly

She's taking her chances

And coming back

through the cove.

She needs to stay

lost in the crowd.

But she's so full

she's trailing behind.

[dramatic music playing]

[dramatic music playing]

She's completely

out of hops.

[dramatic music playing]

But this mother

is a fighter.

Never filmed before

She shouts down a beast

70 times her size.

[dramatic music playing]

Her rockaroni chicks

are all that matter.

She's changed the game.

Redefined the hierarchy.

She is a legend.

[uplifting music playing]

But to them

she's just mom.

They've got the best

of both their parents

Big, brave

And loud.

They don't know it yet

but their unconventional

rockaroni family might

just be the future.

From the beginning,

penguins broke the mold.

And for millennia,

swapping wings for

flippers paid off.

These masters of sea

[Bertie exclaims]

and land

found ways to conquer the

most extreme places on Earth.

And a glimpse into their

secret world has revealed..

-Look at the

speed under the boat!

[Narrator] how they do it.

-It’s been a really

special couple of years,

spending so much time with

these fascinating animals.

I've got to know them as

individuals through the most

critical moments in their lives.

[Narrator] The youngster

learning the lessons

of his clan.

-I reckon he’s

got it in him.

[Narrator] The devoted

new parents determined to

get it right.

And the most vulnerable.

[Bertie] Come on, little chick.

[Narrator] Who defies the odds.

[Bertie] Well done!

[Narrator] There’s so

much more to penguins than

we ever imagined.

But as our world and

theirs collide

they're facing

threats they've

never experienced before.

[Bertie] Whether they live in

the icy wilds of Antarctica or

the lava rocks of the

Galapagos the environment is

changing faster than

they can keep up with.

Penguins have always

shaped their own destiny,

but now their future

lies in our hands.