For the first time ever, filmmakers for National Geographic have captured the annual rite of passage many baby penguins take before they embark on their first swim: a daring leap from a towering ice shelf.
The astounding new footage shows approximately 700 Emperor penguin chicks gathering precariously at the top of a sheer ice cliff, and one-by-one launching themselves into the icy waters 50-feet below.
The footage was captured on location at Atka Bay, in Antarctica, by the BAFTA Award-winning cinematographer Bertie Gregory as part of a upcoming National Geographic production called THE SECRETS OF PENGUINS, which will air in April 2025.
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This first-of-its-kind footage is rare because the ritual only occurs in January, when the sea surrounding the fledglings’ home is at its most volatile.
The announcement was a part of National Geographic’s Earth Month promotion, which can be seen as part of the ourHOME collection on Disney+.
Learn more about the historic penguin leap at NatGeo.com.
