Ukrainian polar explorers have a baby boom: penguins have already laid about 1800 eggs near Vernadsky. Photo.

Almost 1800 penguin eggs were counted on Galindez Island, where the Ukrainian Antarctic station Akademik Vernadsky is located. Now there are about 4 thousand birds there.

This was reported by the biologist of the 29th UAE Svitozar Davydenko on Facebook. He noted that penguins are increasingly taking over the station's neighborhood every year.

"There are already eggs in about 900 nests, mostly two. A pair of parents take turns hatching them: while one goes to feed in the ocean, the other stays on the nest. Then they change," the report says.

Subantarctic penguins raise their young in nests built of rocks. Instead, king and emperor penguins warm their eggs on their feet. However, these species do not live near the Akademik Vernadsky station and appear there only occasionally as guests.

When to expect baby penguins on Galindega

The first penguin eggs appeared in early November, so the chicks will start hatching by mid-December, as the incubation period lasts about 34-36 days. The National Antarctic Research Center notes that Ukrainian scientists are monitoring penguins and other birds in the context of climate change research. In particular, the migration of sub-Antarctic penguins over the past 20 years is one of the clear evidence of warming in the Antarctic.

The Ukrainian Antarctic station "Akademik Vernadsky" is located on Galindez Island in the Argentine Islands archipelago.

As OBOZ.UA previously reported, Ukrainian scouts conducted an unusual operation on Zmeiny Island, evacuating 15 cats to the Sirius shelter. The rescue was supported by the Come Back Alive and MacPaw Foundation.

The approach of winter frosts makes the carefree life of numerous cats and kittens living on Zmeiny Island difficult. Therefore, the fighters of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine's Special Forces "Timur", who were patrolling the island, decided to do an important thing - evacuate 15 animals from the island to the "big land".

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