Aerial footage shows the largest chinstrap penguin colony in the world thriving in their home on Zavodovski Island.

The expedition to the uninhabited island was headed by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), aiming to count the flightless birds' population on January 20.

Footage shows the animals looking like specks of black and white scattered across the vast lands.

Zavodovski Island, an active volcano with a rugged coastline exposed to harsh seas, erupted in 2016, covering half the island in ash.

Due to logistical challenges, there have been limited surveys of the island's wildlife. The team of six scientists, part of a Darwin PLUS funded project, sailed 1,300 miles from the Falkland Islands, enduring a seven-day journey across challenging oceans.

Upon reaching the island in early December, the team set up a three-week camp to collect essential scientific data for conserving species threatened by environmental change.

Ground counts and aerial surveys from drones at 50m altitude provided detailed images of the chinstrap and macaroni penguin colonies and terrestrial biodiversity. If proven accurate, these aerial photos could revolutionize monitoring, reducing the need for risky and expensive expeditions.

The project, aiming to inform management plans for the South Sandwich Islands, involved tagging penguins with satellite transmitters to track their movements.

Additionally, researchers collected penguin guano for DNA fingerprinting, revealing insights into their diet.

Norman Ratcliffe, an ecologist at BAS and project lead, emphasised the collaborative effort to establish baseline data for Zavodovski Island, enabling informed decisions for its management and species protection.

Chinstrap penguins are named for the distinctive black band under their chins, resembling a tiny helmet.