Penguins, known for their clumsiness on land, are actually excellent swimmers and divers. However, what few people know is that some of these adorable birds have truly exceptional navigational skills.
In 2018, a team of scientists conducted a study on emperor penguins in Antarctica and stumbled upon a remarkable discovery. They affixed small cameras to the backs of several penguins to monitor their underwater movements and behaviors.
One penguin, affectionately named “Pericles,” immediately captured their attention. During its dives, Pericles exhibited an exceptional talent for returning precisely to its colony’s location, even after navigating surprisingly extensive distances beneath the sea ice.
The precision with which Pericles navigated underwater left the scientists astonished, highlighting an extraordinary sense of direction. Researchers believe that penguins like Pericles likely rely on a combination of visual, geomagnetic, and sonic cues to maintain their course and navigate through the dark and frigid depths of the Antarctic ocean.