The first penguin chicks hatched near Vernadsky: two babies were found in one nest. Photo

The Ukrainian polar station Akademik Vernadsky has a new addition. The first penguin chicks of this season were born.

Svitozar Davydenko, a biologist of the 29th UAE, found two babies at once in the nest where the first eggs appeared - on a rock near the geocosmos research laboratory. The polar explorers shared the good news on the National Antarctic Research Center's Facebook page.

"The first cub is already active - feeding, squeaking, so it's about half a day old. And the second one must have hatched before I came, because it is still in pieces of shell and hiding under an adult penguin," Svitozar Davydenko wrote in his post.

The scientist noted that now the babies will stay in the nest with their parents for about a month. The latter will take turns looking after them: feeding, warming, and protecting them from birds of prey.

The newborn penguins are covered with gray fluff. They will begin to change it to the usual black and white feathers in about a month, the biologist notes.

"Later, they will gather in "nurseries" - small groups of children, which will be supervised by several adults. Usually by this time, the kids have already reached the size of their parents and continue to actively beg for food. Sometimes it looks very funny when a penguin dad or mom runs away from annoying children, and they catch up with them to eat," say the Vernadsky polar explorers.

The Ukrainian researchers promise to show us when the penguins grow up, but for now they are waiting for more penguins to arrive in other nests.

We remind you that Galindez Island, where the Akademik Vernadsky station is located, is dominated by sub-Antarctic penguins – there are about 4,000 of them here now. Mostly, each pair lays 2 eggs, experts say.

Ukrainian biologists are observing these birds in the context of climate change, because the growth and advancement of their nesting colonies to the South is one of the indisputable proofs of warming in the Antarctic, experts emphasize.

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