Penguin races caught on camera: Ukrainian polar team shares hilarious footage
Penguins can be fast when they need to (photo: Getty Images)
Ukrainian polar researchers from the Akademik Vernadsky station have shared a unique video. In the video, three penguins are engaged in a real race. It was shared by the National Antarctic Scientific Center (NANC) on Facebook.
What exactly the Ukrainian polar researchers captured on video
Recently, NANC published a post featuring footage of three subantarctic penguins competing in speed.
"This video is for those who still doubt that penguins are surprisingly fast creatures and don't need to be flipped over," reads the caption to the posted material.
Zoya Shvydka, a participant of the ongoing 30th Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition (UAE), filmed the penguins.
How fast penguins can move on land and in water
According to experts, if these feathered creatures are in a real hurry, there's no trace left of their usual slowness or clumsiness:
- When penguins "surf" on their bellies, they can accelerate to 3–6 km/h;
- Subantarctic penguins are the fastest in water, and are "little torpedoes". They can "fly" at up to 36 km/h.
"Why do these birds often seem awkward on land? It's simple: they conserve energy. But this trio must have had important business elsewhere," the polar researchers added.
Publication of NANC (screenshot: facebook.com/AntarcticCenter)
