Emperor penguin chicks jump off a 50-foot cliff in Antarctica NEVER-BEFORE-FILMED FOR TV | Nat Geo
National Geographic and BAFTA Award-winning cinematographer Bertie Gregory release unprecedented footage of Emperor penguin chicks leaping 50 feet off an Antarctic cliff. The never-before-filmed behavior was for the 2025 installment of National Geographic’s Emmy award-winning SECRETS OF franchise, SECRETS OF THE PENGUINS, premiering Earth Day 2025 on Nat Geo.
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Secrets of the Penguins | Never-Before-Filmed Emperor Penguin Chick Behavior | National Geographic
• Emperor penguin chicks...
National Geographic
/ natgeo
Mom : “ If your friends jumped off a cliff, would you too ?” Baby penguin : “Yup”
ORCA: OKAY
This may actually be safer than the shallow spots where leopard seals could see and ambush them.
LMAO...Ya couldn't resist, could you Knapp Daddy 😂😂😂
chick: mom you don't get it, that's how we become emperors!
@@Stinger32 😂😂
Peer pressure at it finest. One small step for penguin, one giant leap for National Geographic.
Amazing video..
A privilege that we All can see. Amazing.
@@GregiiFliegerJust stop!
A SMALL step?!?
literally pushing their peers lol
Love how the first penguin demonstrated a textbook dive and the second penguin said "na, belly flop it is."
Hahaha
I want to think that the first penguin after his jump yelled "come on everybody the water is really good !".
The penguins' answer to the parental, "If your friends jump off a bridge, do you?"
lol, SO TRUE!!😂
In this case, yes. Only it's a cliff, not a bridge.
@@jillfriedman4797 Well said!
Right!! L. M. B. O. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
You have the nerves of a penguin is actually a compliment
Edit to say baby penguin or 6 month old penguin
Look up boulders beach in Cape Town, I was sitting on the beach with a girlfriens as were others and a line of penguins wanted to walk past us into the sea. The one in front took a step then ran to the back of the line, the next did the same and the next until finally one decided to go for it and waddled past us, the rest followed. They are scared but the group helps each other overcome the fear. Was one of the best memories I have now. I will never forget there smell or the closeness to us, and they chose to be close there was enough space for them to have got to the sea a few meters from us, but they got so close I could have reached out and touched them, but we sat dead still not making a sound. It was almost like they were daring each other to get closer.
Didn't you see the penguin pee?
Some were pushed. There were clearly avoiding the jump! 😅
I was never so proud to born as a human and witness the miracles of nature. Thank you National Geographic. This video will stay in my heart forever.
I love u ❤ for this genuine comment ❤ my love ❤ will u be my friend
I'm pretty sure some got pushed off or slipped off, but still... the instinct and capabilities in these little penguins is amazing!
sure the flying mechanical bird herding them to the edge had nothing to do with it
If you look closely at the ice beneath them it seems some of them peed a little while preparing to jump 😭💕 bless em
@@Sandy-of6gqI noticed that too, poor little babies! Aww.
@@RosePostedThisThat’s a lot to ask for a newborn.
@@carolynbodnar2334 Huh? I wasn't asking anything? Was that meant to be in response to me or someone else?
Ah that brave penguin who jumped first… he will always be my hero❤️👏✨
It might be a she, you know.
Or got pushed first 😂
He was payed by CIA to manipulate the mob.
@@becool_444😂😂same thought too
He slipped over penguin pee.
This is the scariest, most beautiful bravest magnificent display of nature that I’ve ever seen. It made me tear up. Thank you so much!
check out the barnacle geese chicks jumping off rocky cliffs. some of them don't make it
Ever see ducklings fall, bounce a few hundred feet down a rocky cliff
I also teared up
Never the scariest one. Check out the lizard who has to escape from hundreds of snakes or the Mapogo story.
My thoughts exactly. I was on the edge of that cliff with them.
Wow! Evidently the first one to jump in must have been the leader, just awesome, these birds are awesome! 🤩
An amazing leader.
This literally took my breath away. So much beauty it brought tears to eyes.
It's cool to see how after one jumps they become slightly less scared and more of them start jumping one by one.
The first ice cliff shown is not the same one as the one several penguins jumped from.
"if all your friends jumped off a cliff, would you?"
@@FLPhotoCatcher the more you look into it the more you will find that nature documentaries are largely manufactured. That doesn't necessarily mean the stories they are telling aren't the truth, though.
@@FreeAndRadicalyup, the end of the innocence has passed. Nonetheless, incredible footage. We now know if takes hours and hours of patience and footage to create a magnificent four minute nature clip.
Kinda reminds me of ducklings. They teeter on the edge and only when one goes, then the others follow in quick order.
Cant help but think the way drones have changed our perception on some things and taught us many things that we would never have thought possible...This is a great example... Amazing stuff thank you for sharing😊
Probably DJI drones from China.
That was my first thought from the opening shots
@@LimeyLassen Was wondering do there have depth percerception. as the walrus doesent. That could explain a few things?
This is a very moving scene, and I think the first penguin to jump had the heart of a hero.
I love how they're not diving but just plunging off the cliff
I'm 65 and that is one of the best bits of footage I've ever seen. I'm grinning from ear to ear 😅❤❤
whats your age got to do with anything?
65 also, and grinning as well.
@@DC-rt2id you can't figure it out? Lol. meaning hes probaby seen a lot of footage of a lot of things, so this being one of the best is pretty impressive.
Seriously? Maybe it's because he's been around a long time and has seen a lot!
You 65 year olds need to use skin cream before you grin from ear to ear, you might add another wrinkle to the prune
We can't thank Bertie Gregory and his team enough for taking all the troubles to make this documentary available to the public, those Emperor penguin chicks are absolutely amazing, THANK YOU SO MUCH !!!
You go first, no you go first, no you go first" :) How many were watching waiting for one of them to push the 1st one in :)
Perfect meme
Yes ! Stunning footage.
You can actually thank a guy in 1692 England who saved a distant relative of Bertie’s life by jumping in front of a burning carriage to sacrifice his life to save an infant relative. Had that relative died Bertie’s family line would have disappeared and thus this moment would not have happened. RIP bloke from 1692
So brave, these penguins and camera crew.
My heart was in my mouth watching this! What brave little penguin chick's! I'm just off to my regular hospital appointment...makes me feel like a right wimp!..here's to PENGUIN POWER 🐧 ( I've just been reduced to a blubbering wreck looking at this!!) Very emotional!
Absolutely nothing can make me more happier than I am right now. These beautiful penguins chicks are all braver than me and had giving me the courage to face all my fears with confidence. Thankyou Bertie Gregory for making this incredible and magical video for us.👍❤
Notice how fast the rest jumped in after that second dude went in. I mean, first guy's the hero here but Derek Sivers was right when he said "the first follower is what transforms a lone nut into a leader". Bravo this was so awesome 👏❤
Love the other chicks chittering excitedly when they see the first guy made it safely. Never rooted so hard in my life. Cheers Bertie, thanks for the great footage.
Something so sweet and innocent about this!
Ohhhhh that first one😍, bless his little penguin heart. It takes courage to be the first, penguin or human♥️. Love how they waited to see if he didn't die😂.
😂😂🥲 how precious is it 🥰🥰
Once again, it might be a she.
😂❤️
The way he look back at the rest. Like; Cmon guys it was not that bad😅
The first one is the emperor of the emperor penguins. Alpha.
First penguin chick jumped off 50 foot ice cliff was very brave!! They looked very happy for their first diving and swim lesson in the ocean. Absolutely amazing! Bravo!!! 👏😄💕
To be fair they were all wearing wing suits. I saw a couple with GoPros too.
Haha…🤣
...They heard this was the place for some tasty fish and NO leopard seals.
more like stumbled off the cliff but very brave indeed !
Gods Masterpiece
i was so worried they would hit ice on the way down, but they are so smart they found the perfect places to jump from. this is incredible.
Same!! One of the early shots made out look like there was ice at the bottom of the cliff! 😬 Guess we should give baby penguins more credit!
Held my breath was terrified for them. That first brave one. Absolutely heartwarming ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
That first one that took the leap is a certified badass and born leader. I just hope they made it back okay with all that splashing and noise to alert predators
2:58 when the two jumped off at the same time it was flawless
Antarctic Synchronized Diving Championships!
10 10 10
Penguino : penguini! we doin it together bro Penguini : Yeaaaahhh lets goo! , i'll see you down there...
The way the cold water looks around Big ice sheets just look so pure and clean. Its amazing
I read just recently it’s the clearest ocean water in the World, thousands of miles from any pollution outlets.
@@gerardmackay8909I thought no place is safe like how they found trash and trash bags in the deepest parts of the ocean.
@@theofficialcybermonkeys1271 from what I’ve read the major ocean currents are in much lower latitudes so the circulation of waste happens way to the north of Antarctica.
The fact that the clips are recorded just four months ago (writing on April 24) makes it even more fascinating.
I had tears watching this. This is absolutely magnificent.
They're just having a belly flop competition. But seriously, I would love to see an extended version of this with all the chicks jumping off the cliff.
Same thing I was thinking i wonder if they feel pain when belly flopping
@@zeuvy9995I don't think so. They have a lot of fat to keep them from freezing in that environment.
I saw a little bit of "yellow snow" at the edge (3:46-7) Maybe it scared the "pee" out of some of them...But God bless them, and they made it. Bravo for the driving force of Nature. Survivors!!!
"The driving force of nature"??? But you also said "God bless them," and the contradiction of one statement against the other tells me clearly that you don't actually see God's hand in the chicks jumping off the cliff. It was HE who gave them the mind and instinct to do that, it wasn't a "driving force" of anything!!
@@jb6712why look for an argument?? In my eyes, God created everything, Nature included. I wish you happiness and peace 🕊️
@jb6712 God-fearing believer of Jesus Christ here 🤚 I understand what he meant. I also understood what you meant. Get it? Learn how to pick your battles (and this definitely wasn't one) and do them peacefully. 🤫
@@jb6712 Was it also HE who made you such an obnoxious god botherer?
😂😂finest observation! - nat geo didnt noticed that!😂❤
THANK YOU, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC. Deeply.
Incredible, what courage it takes to make that leap! National Geographic always has the most spectacular cinematography, thanks for this.
Did you say, "jumping"? NOoo!!! These are 30 pound sacks of potatoes tumbling, falling, and splashing down. 😂 Sooo CUTE!!! ❤️ AMAZING video!!! 👍🧡
That would be humorous...except that a sack of potatoes would sink to the bottom of the ocean, and it wouldn't swim away to its new life.
Humans: penguins are flightless birds Penguins: hold my beer
😂😂😂
Actually, this was the Penguins National Belly Flop Contest. Nothing more :)
i mean they sort of "fly" underwater
That wasn't flying, it was falling with style!
Yea it looks similar to other birds attempting flight for the first time. I wonder if that part of it is genetics and the. They just find out by happenstance they can swim. So amazing
We tend to forget how determined & tough the penguin species is ‘cuz they’re so cute & adorable. Their little bodies (& behaviors) ARE delightful. That said, this is merely another of their displays of survival. This is definitive bravery. Penguins (I feel) could adapt to any surroundings - dry deserts, the highest mountains, winds, slow breezes… whatever. Penguins are REALLY amazing (‘Course, I am a bit biased. I’ve followed/studied them for years as a fan AND a supporter)! Thanks, NG for all you’ve done to help them. Your efforts ARE appreciated! 👍🐧🙂
The best vedio I have ever watched. It looks like they communicate each other..the first chic who jumped the bravest one.
It's amazing when 1st one jumped they saw him he was okay then everyone started to jump.. amazing creatures ❤❤
A couple of those chicks did perfect swan dives! I worried that the belly floppers would get hurt but nope! Nature 😊
I know! I was holding my breath till the first flopper looked fine. 💜🐧
Love how they waited to see if the first guy survived the jump.
Having a drone really changes the game on cinematic shots. Especially with being somewhat quiet
The first chick to jump later went on to become the Boss of all Penguins.
Reminds me of Happy Feet.
That’s racist.
OGP
*Emperor
President of the Penguins right there. He definitely has the makings of a leader.
3:02 bros gonna tell all his friends he was one of the first to jump but he just fell. 😂
I like how they say “look how brave they are jumping off the cliff”. First one jumped off. More than half fell off the edge or were pushed off by the crowd behind.
Imagine talking about this in the afterlife saying, "bro, remember when we were penguins and scaled a 50-foot cliff on our first swim?"
Just beautiful. I think this confirms what we saw in "Happy Feet." They look very happy. Congratulations, boys and girls, and many thanks to you, Bertie Gregory, and your team!
haha exactly, this movie is actually accurate
I was thinking the same thing.😂 Pretty amazing.
The movie The March of the Penguins
Exactly! I was thinking "has no one here seen Happy Feet?" The chicks did exactly this in that movie, and that came out in 2006!
It's like the human equivalent of a group dare cliff dive.
It was obviously a compilation of different groups of penguins jumping off of different parts of ice-cliffs. Temperature shows most of the water being filled with pieces of ice except the one spot they found and the last shot shows the water being totally clear. There areas where they jumped from were shaped differently in the different clips as well
WOW this is an amazing video for so many reasons! Thank you to whoever was involved!
Most amazing feat for young penguins. Hero jumps first and the rest follow slowly at first then challenging each other to jump. In awe of these animals.
Seeing a flightless bird flap its tiny wings so fruitlessly while falling thru the sky is one of those precariously hilarious things that is so very close to being horrifying it makes it all the more special 😂💀😮💨
Time stamp 2:40 After the first chick made his brave, long leap into the unknown & started swimming, he shouts out to the others "Come on in, the water is fine!" 😅 ❤ 🐧
Some of them were definitely muttering “oh, I don’t think so!” While their mates were yelling “get on with it! You’re in our way!” Before pushing them off.
Filmed for the very first time by Bertie Gregory, emperor penguin chicks leap off a 50-foot ice cliff to take their first swim! Learn more about this behavior: on.natgeo.com/3UfRC1T And stay tuned for more: These penguins are getting their own show! From executive producer James Cameron, “Secrets of the Penguins,” is coming in 2025!🐧
I have a picture of a ghost on a tv.
Absolutely remarkable! It’s breathtaking to consider that we are witnessing a groundbreaking event, captured on film for the first time. The anticipation for "Secrets of the Penguins," premiering Earth Day 2025 on Nat Geo, is sky-high!
Im speechless. Absolutely amazing.
We know for sure the first one made his/her own decision. No pushing or slipping ❤❤❤ I guess I’m not the only one tear up while watching this magnificent video. Many thanks!!!
This is absolutely phenomenal. I remember seeing something like this in Happy Feet when young penguins take their first steps towards the sea and from there, I also recall that it will always be the one who’s brave to take that leap of faith. Now that I have seen it for real, I can never unsee that. We have Bertie Gregory to thank for that.
I wonder if its so they can avoid water predators as it seem highly unlikely to find chicks at the base of a cliff and if by chance there was a predator the height would grant them a perfect veiw of any dangers, something not pissible at a height of the water surface.
Great points, but all that splashing would also attract a lot of attention
It did seem like they found the perfect spot, cliff and a clear patch of water surrounded by various levels/types of ice. Now, I'm curious how they honed in on it. As far as I know they don't have drones. 💜🐧
@@erinmcdonald7781 maybe they do
500 years from now they evolve into majestic birds of flight with the ability to also swim
The fact that they were all there in group prayer before jumping.
Pure joy watching this. Had the biggest smile on my face. What a beautiful thing to witness.
Simply amazing, I was looking at the first one leading the migration thinking “where does he think he’s heading, when does he know to stop?”
guy filming- "i think alot are going to start to jump" *pengu plopping into sea from cliff flipping through air belly flopping*
On the way down... "I thought we're birds--why arent these wings working?!" Cute little belly-flops.
My eyes are red watching their jump. Unbelievable! I love emperor penguins
Liked im also hella baked rn 😇
some did not want to jump but they got a push from behind LOL
it wasnt pushing it was nudges of encouragement
It is not "want" versus "not want". The ones that seemed cowardly were not prepared yet. And they knew it. This is not an Olympic dive, that had been studied, taught, trained, and perfected. This jump, or dive, is natural, instinctual. More like a baby standing up. From on fours to twos. It is necessary. But at the height of these cliffs, it would seem like training would be welcomed. Starting from 10 ft. then advancing to 50 ft. Humans are so lucky. And we DON'T HAVE TO do things like dive from 50 feet. If injured of course we now have medical assistance.
The penguins who jumped yell up to their buddies on the ledge above "The water's great folks! Dive on in!"
The bravest little birds l know! Please be safe babies and live long good lives.❤🐧❤ Thanks for this National Geographic!🤗♥️☘️🐾🌈☮️🇨🇦
Seeing the brave and young chicks pulling up their courage to jump off the cliff is both awespiring and heartbreaking! What a mixed feeling. I cannot thank you enough for filming and sharing the video footage with us. Hope many more humans will become mindful of the environmental impact of their behaviors to help emperors survive beyond this century.
Terrified for them, I was prepared for a good cry. Wow! They made it! I have to day that first one made a perfect dive, some of his flapping buddies, not so much. But, still that's some incredible bravery for these big chicks. 💜🐧
Reminds me of happy feet! When he was the first to jump and everyone followed. This video is beautiful! Brought me to tears seeing these fearless babies jump 🥹🥹💙💙
This feels like an adulthood ceremonial thing. But really, i was laughing so hard seeing those penguins who was hard-pressured to jump, some even soiled themselves in the process.
*I was brought to tears watching this* 🐧 🐧 ❄
Same
Orcas the same
Nature is so magnificent and vast. I've never seen anything like this and cried, too.
When I see those baby penguin take their first dive into the ocean, I'm reminded of the universal nature of maternal love and the inherent value of life. This poignant moment prompts me to reflect on our dietary and lifestyle choices and their impact on countless living beings. By opting for alternatives to animal products, we honor and safeguard these lives. Each small step we take contributes to reducing the world's suffering. ❤️🙏
This had to be an incredible moment to have witnessed of these truly amazing penguins and I really enjoyed it!! Thank you for sharing this 🐧
My science teacher in grade school insisted penguins couldn't fly. Proved her wrong.
More. I want more of this. Such an extraordinary video in every way. Stunningly beautiful, such amazing quality. And capturing the braveness of those gorgeous chicks... so glad to get to witness their big moment!
A Leap of faith !!!..All it takes is for someone to take that first step...
”How do I know if Im ready?” ”You don’t. It’s a leap of faith”
Gives a whole new meaning to my mother’s “… if all your friends jumped off a bridge…” Thank you to all involved in sharing this!
All it takes is for that crazy friend to say “hold my beer and watch this” and no one wants to chicken out after
Wow! It's amazing to see these lovely creatures! Thank you National Geographic! 😍🥰
Mother nature never ceases to amaze and delight us.
Second penguin at 2:53 belly flops like a gangster
My parents said in their day everyone learned to swim like this….. to school and back .
Uphill both ways.
"Don't call me flightless!"
Always against the wind, rain or snow...both ways.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ swimming uphill, both ways
Wow what absolutely amazing footage, I would have gladly watched until the very last penguin made the plunge. It's incredible how with the advancement of technology such as with the drone we are able to explore places that were once inaccessible. Thank you National Geographic and Mr Gregory ❤
How brave ! And how clever to not all plummet together and crash into each other in the ocean ! Thank you for this beautiful , up lifting video Bertie 😊
Unbelievable bravery and survival instincts of these young penguins!! Thank you for great video!!!
I was so worried for them at the beginning!! phew, glad they made it... 😂🥰😍
용감한 아기펭귄들을 보며 오늘도 깨달음을 얻네
Priceless! Leap of faith! Thanks for capturing such an amazing event.
I really think most of them were pushed off due to the pressure coming from behind. But great job to the guy with the most convincing job
This is fascinating. It brought tears to my eyes! Amazing creatures.
Look at those penlings. Such beautiful penwings.
Thank you, Benedict Cumberbatch!
😂😂 Thank you, Dr. Strange. 😂
The last penguin who refuse to jump would get labelled a coward. 😂