March of the Penguin

Watched March of the Penguin on DVD just now. A nice show it was. Narrates how the Emperor penguins live through their normal life. March from home to breeding ground, finding their mate and start procreating. 70 miles to the breeding ground, which is specially selected as the place helps in breaking some of the strong winds that blows, and the ground will stay strongly frozen, to prevent young penguins from dropping into the ocean. Upon the hatching of the egg, the mother pass it over to the father penguin so that she can go back to the ocean to feed herself. This passing of the egg can be difficult, as the egg can easily roll onto the frozen grounds and killed by the harsh weather. The father will then have to take over the job of keeping the egg protected against the weather. Through this period, the father will have to go without food for 4 months (from the march to the breeding ground), losing half of his weight. That will be when the egg has hatched, and the mother should have returned, if she survives any predator attack by the leopard seal in the feeding ground.
Danger is still not over for the little penguin. harsh weather can still take its small life, as well as predators in the air (a vulture that looks like a duck, cos it has webbed feet).
Once the little ones are old enough (about a year old), their parents are off home, leaving the little ones behind to fend for themselves. When the ice starts to melt, the little penguins will each start their swim, and go back home by themselves.

It's amazing, how the horde goes as a team, marching through, cuddling up in a big mass to fend against the cold wind. Team spirit is the key.
They follow the leader of the pack in whatever action. When he walks, the rest walks, when he glides around on his/her belly, the rest do likewise.
Strong endurance of the mind ensures these penguins survive in the harsh environment they live in.

A nice show which I would recommend to everyone.