Emperor Penguin Chicks Jump Off a 50-foot Cliff

We all recall that scene in Happy Feet when the young emperor penguins go to sea for the first time, driven by instinct. They are terrified, but eventually the first one jumps in, and lets the others know it's okay. Scientists have recorded this first plunge many times, but they also found evidence that some juvenile migrations don't just go to the sea -they go in by jumping off high ice cliffs! When you feel you must go to the sea, you go, whether it's a gentle jump off some floating ice or a plunge down a 50-foot cliff. For the first time, this phenomena had been filmed using drones by cinematographer Bertie Gregory for National Geographic. This footage is part of the documentary series Secrets of the Penguins, which will premiere a year from now, on Earth Day in 2025. (via Nag on the Lake)