within a week of the first hatching most
of the other eggs on the island have
hatched and the majority of nests have
two chicks demanding round-the-clock
attention because the summer season is
so short
the chicks need to grow fast to survive
the cold months ahead so in just three
weeks they’re likely to quadruple in
size competition between chicks is
fierce their food becomes scarce the
parents will favour the strongest chick
leaving the weaker one to perish
[Music]
at this stage of their development the
chicks are vulnerable to attack from
skewers and the penguin adults are on
high alert
penguin chicks and our prized source of
food for the skills and hunting
intensifies
[Music]
the skewer is a dogged opponent
continually surveying the colony for the
chance of a quick kill
for this unlucky chick it’s a gruesome
end as the skewer attempts to swallow it
whole
[Music]
