As male Emperor penguins care for their offspring

• How male Emperor penguins care for their offspring

French explorer Samuel Blanc (Samuel Blanc) 15 months spent on the research station in Antarctica, watching penguins and other animals. Particular attention he paid to the study of penguin breeding cycle and the relationship between chicks and adults.

As male Emperor penguins care for their offspring

This tiny chicks have not yet grown feathers waterproof, so it is hidden from the harsh Antarctic winds at the feet of his father.

As male Emperor penguins care for their offspring

From time to time caring father lowers his head to make sure that the chick is all right. Colony, to which belong to the male penguin and its chick, has about 3 thousand of these pairs.

As male Emperor penguins care for their offspring

All of these pictures were taken by photographer, guide and explorer Samuel Blanc (Samuel Blanc), who spent 15 months in French research station in Terre Adélie in the Antarctic sector. Blanc, who also advises people who are going to go to the polar regions, engaged in the study of seals, penguins and other animals.

As male Emperor penguins care for their offspring

"I have been tracking the entire cycle of penguins breeding, being next to them almost every day, adjusted for weather conditions", - says Samuel Blanc.

As male Emperor penguins care for their offspring

The male penguin with its chick. At this time, the females go to sea in search of food. penguin chicks remain under the supervision of one of the adults as long as they do not grow a waterproof plumage.

As male Emperor penguins care for their offspring

Adult penguins are able to recognize their chicks due to the presence of birds each family its own unique set of signals with which they treat each other. "The relationship between birds really strong. Chicks are always close to the adult specimens: in her legs, or at a distance of several tens of centimeters. "

As male Emperor penguins care for their offspring

Samuel Blanc, residing in the municipality of Saint-Paul-de-Varces near Grenoble in France, said that the air temperature near the research station in windy weather can drop to -45C.

As male Emperor penguins care for their offspring

Typically, the researcher observed the penguins from a distance of 10-20 meters, but sometimes it became necessary to approach them for a more thorough examination. "I tried to treat them with respect. I do not like when scientists forget that they are dealing with wild birds. "

As male Emperor penguins care for their offspring

"In most cases, while the Penguins you trust and feel safe, you manage to make contact with quite a lot of birds, and it is a miracle. Some of them come up to you up close and sometimes even touch you with its beak. "

As male Emperor penguins care for their offspring

According to Samuel Blanc, he was very pleased that he was able to observe the penguins during the breeding cycle.