What started off as a day of work turned into much more for a group of filmmakers in Britain. They had planned to film emperor penguins as part of the BBCโs nature documentary series โDynastiesโ.
But what they saw when they got there changed their plans.
They soon discovered that the penguins were unable to climb out of a crevice. The penguins fell into the gully during a storm. Several of the birds had their babies with them. As the temperatures were dropping, so was their chances of survival.
If youโve ever seen penguins walk, you know that their mobility isnโt the best. They waddle and get to where they need to go, but theyโre certainly not cheetahs.
This left the filmmakers with a difficult decision.
They immediately knew that they were mostly these penguins only chance of survival. The situation really weighed on some of the filmmakers who became emotional while watching everything unfold.
Many documentary filmmakers are apt to just let nature take its course, but this time something was different. They felt the overwhelming need to intervene. They had already seen that some penguins already didnโt make it out, while others were trying to use their beaks and wings to get out. But, that wasnโt possible for those who were carrying their young.
In what is being described as an โunprecedented moveโ, the group dug a set of stairs for the penguins to climb so they could get out of the crevice they were stuck in.
They wanted to allow as many penguins as possible to survive. This was the least stressful way to get the other penguins to safety.
According to the World Wildlife Foundation, emperor penguins can climb steep ice cliffs. Theyโve even been known to breed up on ice shelves.
Emperor penguins are also known to be able to survive harsh conditions. They can survive when temperatures drop to a frosty -50 degrees Celsius. They have two layers of feathers and a good reserve of fat. Their feet also have special fats that can prevent them from freezing. But, they were still going to need some help getting out the ditch they got stuck in.
Maybe these filmmakers knew these penguin fun facts when they decided to build steps to help them get out of the dangerous situation they found themselves in. Even if they didnโt, they were making a difference.
The filmmakers could see that their efforts were working.
After the stairs were built, the penguins started making their way to safety. The filmmakers say they knew the birds were not going to survive unless they did something. They were thrilled to see that the penguins were able to get out of the ditch.
Other wildlife filmmakers heard what happened and applauded this groupโs efforts. Everyone knew that this story would have ended differently had they not taken action. While their documentary took a detour, it still showed the strong will of animals and how some compassion for humans can go a long way.
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