PENGUINS- Navigating AdolescenceMusicAmbience: Cinstrap and macaroni penguinsAdolescence can be a rocky time, even for penguins. From the moment they hatch until they flee their beach nests, penguin chicks must protect themselves from a hostile world around them. With the help of their parents, they’ll eventually find their way out to the open seas, and into adulthood. I’m Jim Metzner, and this is the Pulse of the Planet. We’re listening to the sounds of macaroni and chinstrap penguins.Dr. Don Croll is an assistant research biologist with the Institute of Marine Sciences at the University of California in Santa CruzCroll: The life of a penguin in general, it’s kind of fraught with survival problems. If a chick strays from its nest into the territory of another pair of penguins,it runs a very good chance of getting killed by those other adults because those territories are very important.During the period just after the chick hatches, one adult penguin must remain with the chick to ensure its safety. The other goes to sea to forage for food. Well eventually the chick grows to the point where its energy demands are too great, and both adults have to start foraging at the same time. The chick may now join a loose-knit group of its peers, seeking protection in numbers.Croll: Then they have to start worrying about these larger predators, which are pretty vigorous in their attacks of the penguin chicks.When adult penguins return with food, they send out a call to find their chick. The parents feed their chick by regurgitating food directly into its mouth. This prevents others from stealing this hard-earned energy source. Well soon the chicks will become large enough to make their way down to the beach and out to sea, to find their own food.Croll: From then on you have all the rigors of living in the Antarctic environment. And it’s quite a gauntlet these guys have to find themselves through before they are able to be successful breeding adults.This archival program is part of our thirtieth anniversary celebration. If you want hear more, check out our podcast. Im Jim Metzner and this is the Pulse of the Planet.
Navigating Adolescence
From the moment they hatch, penguin chicks must protect themselves from a hostile world.
Air Date:01/14/2021
Scientist:
Transcript:
PENGUINS- Navigating AdolescenceMusicAmbience: Cinstrap and macaroni penguinsAdolescence can be a rocky time, even for penguins. From the moment they hatch until they flee their beach nests, penguin chicks must protect themselves from a hostile world around them. With the help of their parents, they'll eventually find their way out to the open seas, and into adulthood. I'm Jim Metzner, and this is the Pulse of the Planet. We're listening to the sounds of macaroni and chinstrap penguins.Dr. Don Croll is an assistant research biologist with the Institute of Marine Sciences at the University of California in Santa CruzCroll: The life of a penguin in general, it's kind of fraught with survival problems. If a chick strays from its nest into the territory of another pair of penguins,it runs a very good chance of getting killed by those other adults because those territories are very important.During the period just after the chick hatches, one adult penguin must remain with the chick to ensure its safety. The other goes to sea to forage for food. Well eventually the chick grows to the point where its energy demands are too great, and both adults have to start foraging at the same time. The chick may now join a loose-knit group of its peers, seeking protection in numbers.Croll: Then they have to start worrying about these larger predators, which are pretty vigorous in their attacks of the penguin chicks.When adult penguins return with food, they send out a call to find their chick. The parents feed their chick by regurgitating food directly into its mouth. This prevents others from stealing this hard-earned energy source. Well soon the chicks will become large enough to make their way down to the beach and out to sea, to find their own food.Croll: From then on you have all the rigors of living in the Antarctic environment. And it's quite a gauntlet these guys have to find themselves through before they are able to be successful breeding adults.This archival program is part of our thirtieth anniversary celebration. If you want hear more, check out our podcast. Im Jim Metzner and this is the Pulse of the Planet.