Alone among 10 thousand penguins / Photography brings fantastic images from Antarctica

Christmann was a camera assistant and expedition photographer for a BBC documentary, narrated by David Attenborough.

He has also produced images for publications including National Geographic and won the “Photographer of the Year” award at the Museum of Natural History in 2019.

In his new book about penguins, A Survival Story, he shares some of his favorite Antarctic images.

“During the winter it becomes very dangerous to fly in and out of Antarctica,” he said.

Meanwhile he showed some of the characteristics of emperor penguins, whom he has closely observed for a long time.

“Imperial penguins are created for many things, but when it comes to mating it becomes quite clear that balance is not their strong point. “When the man steps on the back of the woman, he tries to find a safe position.”

The photo describes his Antarctic expeditions as “extremely exciting”. “The base itself is very large and modern and there is nothing you will lose for a basic living. At first, it is all new and exciting, but later you realize that you are ‘losing’ family and friends, as well as your usual routine.

The worst things are storms, which can last for weeks at a time when the station shakes and even the tiles in the dining room rumble. These days you can feel like a prisoner. “But it is also a part of life at the station.”

“Emperor penguins do not build any nests and therefore must carefully guard the fragile egg at their feet. With each step they take, they roll the egg a little, to heat it evenly on all sides.

Gathering strategy is a behavior that should be learned from young penguin birds early in their life.It is one of the most delightful things I have ever seen. “Despite the fact that their parents were extremely calm and organized while they were gathering, the young people try to go to the warm center by joining their peers.”

However, Christmann has a caveat.

“Over the last few decades, slowly warming ocean currents have affected the stability of ice in many ways. Imperial penguins normally breed in sea ice. When it’s time for them to return to the ocean, they have to take dangerous steps from the steep cliffs of ice. While this seems spectacular, in reality it is a behavior that should not exist. “Unfortunately, human choices and our impact on the environment even affect remote ecosystems in which there is no significant human population,” says Christmann.