Rockhopper Penguins' Athleticism Makes Them the Daredevil...

What’s Happening

Not gonna lie, A visit to the Falkland Islands, where the fearless seabirds navigate the rugged topography with tenacious spunk, shows the new challenges they face Rockhopper Penguins Athleticism Makes Them the Daredevils of the Animal World.

Will a Warming Climate Slow Them Down? Southern rockhoppers fearlessly approach the camera at Murrell Farm in the Falklands. (wild, right?)

The birds features include their spiky crests, which resemble wild eyebrows.

The Details

Chris Linder On a rocky ledge over the coast of an island in the far south Atlantic Ocean, a young penguin peers nervously at the chasm ahead. Her bushy yellow eyebrows waggle as she tilts her head one way, then another, scouting the route home to her nest high above.

This next step will be a doozy. To reach the ledge on the other side, she’ll have to make a gravity-defying leap more than twice her diminutive height.

Why This Matters

Her wet feathers shimmer in the setting sun as she musters her courage. “You can do it,” Petra Quillfeldt coaxes the little penguin. ” The coach’s confidence is well founded.

This could have implications for future research in this area.

Key Takeaways

• As if buoyed talk, the hesitant bird cocks her flightless wings.
• Her powerful pink feet push off the rock with tremendous force.
• She catapults across the gap and sticks the landing with the clasp of strong, gripping claws.

The Bottom Line

After a beat to shake her feathers and toss us a backward glance, she hops off to join her colony-mates bounding up the steep hill. To Smithsonian magazine now for just $19.

What’s your take on this whole situation?