Our Antarctic Penguin Mission Failed… Or Did It?

When in Antarctica, meeting penguins is an absolute must. But it’s not always easy.

Originally published in 2020 on ‪‪‪‪‪@pbsterra 🇦🇶

Finding — and filming — penguins was hosts Caitlin Saks and Arlo Pérez’s top priority during their month-long stay at McMurdo Station. With four species of penguin living in Antarctica, including the Adélie, the most widely-distributed penguin species in the world, tracking down these waddling wonders might sound simple.

To find Adélies, Caitlin and Arlo set out on a quest to Cape Royds, home to the southernmost Adélie penguin colony in the world. There, they meet with expert Jean Pennycook to learn about why people love these black and white birds and how Antarctica’s penguin populations are indicators of climate change. But non-ideal conditions and gusting winds put a damper on their plans (and the penguins they do come across seem to be either busy pooping or getting busy with each other). Caitlin and Arlo come face-to-face with the harsh reality of working on Earth’s remotest continent: Antarctica, and its extremes, can complicate even the best-laid plans.

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