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If we were to pass out awards to our wild kin for the most devoted parent, penguins would rank high on the list. Penguin fathers and mothers both shoulder the role of guardian, nurturer, and incubator. Emperor penguins, in particular, are well known for the devotion and unconditional love they feel for their chicks. As soon as the female has successfully laid the pair’s sole egg, the father immediately tucks it under his brood patch to keep it insulated against the elements. From that moment on, he takes his place as the watchful overseer and protector, stoically braving temperatures that can plunge to a deadly -40° Fahrenheit. However, his journey into parenthood has only just begun.
The powerful, intrinsic force that keeps a penguin father rooted to the spot through endless nights on the windswept ice runs far deeper than what we can see on the surface. During those miserable, frozen weeks, he loses almost half of his body weight. It is only when the egg finally hatches that he is relieved from duty by the return of his mate and heads out to sea to feed. From there, he devotes his time to sharing in the responsibilities of raising their hungry chick, embarking on the perilous task to secure food–a journey that predators like leopard seals eagerly anticipate.
Normally, a leopard seal would have little chance of chasing down an adult emperor penguin beneath the surface. The only way to catch their quarry is to patiently stake out the ice edge, where the penguins must return after foraging. With one of the continent’s top predators pitted against the largest penguin species in the world, both animals must push the very limits of their evolution to survive. Leopard seals can reach well over nine feet in length and, like their prey, are designed to thrive in one of the harshest environments on Earth. As someone who has been mistaken for a penguin by an ambitious leopard seal after standing too close to the ice edge (scroll down to read more on that story), I can attest to the sheer power of these incredible athletes. The birds, however, are well aware of the ambush waiting for them and have a remarkably clever tactic for avoiding trouble.
Before they begin their ascension, emperor penguins release millions of microbubbles from their feathers as a kind of lubricant against the friction of the water to double or even triple their speeds. Then they rocket to the surface with astounding force, launching their four-foot bodies several feet into the air before careening safely onto the ice. It is one of the most surreal and extraordinary feats to witness among our ocean’s wildlife, defying the laws of physics and completely overturning the penguin’s public image as a clumsy, waddling cartoon. At the end of the day, emperor penguins would do anything to secure food for the hungry little beaks waiting for their return, braving predator-filled waters with unflinching courage.
My background as a marine biologist demands that I refrain from casting human characteristics onto our wild brethren. It is impossible to say whether an animal’s love can run as deep as what we feel as human beings. Although, I would like to point out that there also is no way of knowing if an animal can feel even more deeply and fully than we could ever dare. Who is to say our species is the one that reigns over all emotion? When I see emperor penguins reunited with their fluffy chicks after a treacherous journey for food, there is no mistaking the deep and profound love they feel for their offspring.
To all the dads out there who I know would proudly brave leopard seals and subzero temperatures for their kids, I wish you a very happy, non-perilous Father’s Day. And to all of my readers, thank you for being on this photographic journey with me.
With hope and gratitude,
Paul Nicklen
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