‘Extremely Rare’ Hybrid ‘Rockaroni’ Penguin Chicks Caught on Camera Changing History (Exclusive)

• National Geographic’s Secrets of the Penguins filmed uncommon “rockaroni” chicks for the docuseries
• The child penguins are hybrids created via a rockhopper mother and a macaroni penguin dad
• Penguin researchers Pablo “Popi” Borboroglu carefully studied the “rockaroni” chicks and thinks the child animals can have “evolutionary advantages” transferring ahead

Pablo “Popi” Borboroglu knew from an early age he was once supposed to be some of the penguins.

“When I was a small boy, my grandmother used to tell me wonderful stories about her visits to see penguins along the wild Patagonian coast of Argentina, where I live and work today. Her stories sparked my early connection to nature,” Borboroglu, a penguin researcher and conservationist with a Ph.D. in marine biology, tells PEOPLE.

This preliminary interest led Borboroglu to try a penguin colony when he were given slightly older.

“During my first visit to a penguin colony, I found myself surrounded by half a million penguins — and in that moment, I knew. I felt with complete clarity that my life’s mission was to study and protect these incredible animals,” the founder and president of the Global Penguin Society provides.

Borboroglu is now a long time into his penguin analysis profession, which is spotlighted within the new National Geographic docuseries Secrets of the Penguins. In the display, Borboroglu introduces audience to a colony of southern rockhopper penguins residing in Argentina. Among the birds are two cutting edge penguins who controlled to do one thing scientists have recorded only some occasions earlier than.

Secrets of the Penguins captured on movie a mixed-species penguin couple consisting of a feminine rockhopper and a male macaroni penguin. Stranger but, the pair effectively mated and hatched the ensuing eggs, welcoming a number of “rockaroni” hybrid chicks into the arena.

“When two different species breed, the chances of the eggs hatching and chicks surviving are extremely low, so this finding is truly,” Borboroglu says of the it-couple and their chicks featured within the Secrets of the Penguins ultimate episode.

Observing the “rockaroni” circle of relatives was once a primary for the penguin researcher and National Geographic Explorer.

“It was absolutely fascinating. Observing a mixed-species pair successfully raising hybrid chicks in the wild was surprising and thought-provoking. Seeing these hybrids thrive offers an incredible opportunity to reflect on the adaptability of penguins and the complexity of their behavior,” Borboroglu provides.

Secrets of the Penguins posits that the rockhopper mother and macaroni dad discovered love and had a circle of relatives as a result of they have been “driven by environmental pressures that disrupt typical breeding patterns.”

“As shown in Secrets of the Penguins and supported by research, one key factor may be limited mate availability. In colonies where one species is scarce, individuals may form mixed-species pairs out of necessity,” Borboroglu says. “Another intriguing possibility is that the more pronounced physical features of macaroni penguins — such as their larger body size, brighter crests, and louder vocalizations — might be interpreted by rockhoppers as signals of stronger body condition or higher fitness.”

Borboroglu suggests we’re “witnessing evolution before our eyes.” If environmental components power sufficient rockhoppers and macaroni penguins in combination, then this “hybridization might act as a pathway to speciation.”

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“It was a vivid reminder that nature is constantly trying new experiments — and sometimes, those experiments succeed in the most unexpected ways,” he says.

Of direction, a brand new species rising from “rockaroni” unions is a ways down the road and shall be challenged via the original stumbling blocks “rockaroni” chicks face.

“Hybridization between macaroni and rockhopper penguins is extremely rare because of their differing breeding behaviors and habitats. When it does occur, the physical differences between the species pose added difficulties — hybrid chicks are larger and need more food, which puts extra strain on the smaller rockhopper parent during chick-rearing,” he explains.

But it isn’t all tough street for “rockaroni” households. The penguin researcher notes that the chicks can have “evolutionary advantages” one day.

“The survival and breeding success of ‘rockaroni’ penguins suggest an exceptional level of adaptability. Hybridization may be nature’s response to environmental pressures, creating new genetic combinations that help wildlife cope with shifting conditions.”

Borboroglu hopes that assembly the penguin circle of relatives throughout Secrets of the Penguins conjures up animal fans to offer protection to the birds. According to the skilled, part of the arena’s 18 penguin species are indexed as threatened or worse at the IUCN Red List. All penguins face threats created via local weather trade, overfishing, air pollution, and habitat degradation.

“I hope people come away with a deeper sense of empathy and admiration for penguins and all marine species. I want them to see how extraordinary these animals are and how fragile their lives can be. Being a penguin in today’s world is incredibly difficult. They are tough, resilient, determined, and brave — but even so, they can’t face the mounting challenges alone,” Borboroglu stocks.

The conservationist could also be in my opinion devoted to penguins because the birds have added such a lot to his existence.

“Thanks to penguins, I met my wife on a remote island in Patagonia, and they’ve been part of our journey ever since. They also allowed me to show my sons that it’s possible to follow your dreams — and fulfill your life’s mission — even against all odds,” he says.

Borboroglu provides, “During my 36 years of working with penguins, I’ve always shared the same message: if these birds go to such incredible lengths to survive and raise their chicks successfully — overcoming immense challenges and threats every day — then how can we not do something, even a small act, to help lighten their load?”

Animal fans can be informed extra about penguins and the way to lend a hand them via visiting the Global Penguin Society’s website online and tuning into National Geographic’s Secrets of the Penguins, now to be had to circulation on Hulu and Disney+.