In a captivating scene filmed on Marion Island in October 2023, a King Penguin chick experiences a bout of the 'zoomies,' showcasing the spirited antics of these adorable seabirds. But beyond the charm lies a deeper story of parental dedication and scientific discovery.

As the chick is nurtured by its mother, viewers gain a glimpse into the intricate dynamics of seabird parenting. Shifts in incubation and chick care highlight the equal roles played by both parents in raising their offspring.

This video was filmed in October 2023 on Marion Island. It is of a newly hatched northern giant petrel chick being fed by its mom. But also note these seabirds incubate their egg and care for their chick in shifts, so the dad plays an equal role in raising the chick. Their eggs are laid in August, only one egg is laid each year so if their nest fails they can only attempt another breeding attempt in the following year. Chicks hatch in October and fledge in late January-early February.
This nest is in one of our long-term monitoring colonies. So all birds which breed in those areas have unique IDs (metal and PVC rings on their legs). We record who is breeding every season,who their partner is and if they successfully fledged a chick. Chicks also get unique rings so after they go to sea for a few years, when they return as adults and we resight them (by reading their ring number) we know exactly who they are, who their parents are and how old they are. They data help us scientists figure out how the population is doing (increasing, maintaining or decreasing).
I am a seabird researcher on Marion Island in the southern Indian Ocean. I am currently on a project working for the Nelson Mandela University. Marion has a meteorological station which is manned by ~20 South Africans. I arrived in April 2023 and will be leaving in a month's time.