“Here on the coast of Peru, there are so many seabirds fishing in the offshore waters that the cliffs are covered in droppings over a metre thick. Humboldt penguins regard the soft guano as a good material in which to dig their nest balls. But it’s a messy business.
“It’s the breeding season and more hopeful nesters arrive, spotless from swimming in the sea. Time for the residents to get cleaned up and catch some fish for themselves and their chicks. To get to the sea, they cross the remains of an old nesting ground. Only 100 metres to go. But the beach is already crowded with sea lions.”
How will these guano (poop)-covered penguins make their way to the water? Sir David Attenborough explains that “This is going to need a bit of crowd surfing.”
Enjoy this 4-minute clip from episode 3 of the BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, the 2019 series that explores how each of the seven continents has uniquely shaped the animals that live there.
Watch these penguin videos next:
• Gentoo Penguins’ stone pile nests
• Emperor penguin chicks defend against a giant petrel
• Counting Antarctic penguin colonies with speedy & efficient drones
Bonus: Can Bird Poop Make Clouds?
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