MSc Student Gemma Clucas joins Tom to conduct her thesis project, which will evaluate long-term changes in genetic diversity of Adélie penguins. Tom and I reached the Antarctic Peninsula amidst a howling gale which had blown throughout the night. It was touch and go as to whether we would get ashore to visit a gentoo [...]

Ben and Tom continue their journey along the Antarctic Peninsula, encountering frenetic penguins, and have the experience of a lifetime with two humpback whales… For the second half of our trip, we move north through the peninsula islands of Danco and Cuverville, with continent landings at Neko and Orne Harbours.  The weather continues to hold [...]

Ben and Tom continue their journey along the Antarctic Peninsula, setting up new time-lapse cameras The first few days of landings have been spectacular.  Our first landing was at Booth Island.  We were deposited by zodiac for a 3 hour landing, dropped off on shore with a couple of barrels of safety kit, and left [...]

Ben and Tom continue their journey south, crossing the Drake Passage towards Antarctica. It’s 8am on the 16th February and we have just crossed latitude 66 degrees 60 minutes south: the Antarctic Circle. Since our departure from Ushuia, the temperature has gradually fallen, and the wildlife out on the open ocean has started to change. The [...]

ZSL scientist Ben Collen heads down to Argentina to join Penguinologist Tom Hart for their trip down to the Antarctic Peninsula. Tom and I have just met up in Ushuaia – referred to on the posters as ‘the end of the world’.  Feels strange then, that it’s our starting off point.  Ushuaia sits right on [...]

We are designing a new scheme to monitor penguins in Antarctica in much more detail than ever before. Step one relies entirely on showing that cameras can survive the winter. Operating electrical equipment remotely, in logistically difficult places to access, which experience extreme temperatures is challenging for both scientists, and the equipment we use. You [...]