Penguins Expedition (IV): Penguin Quest
Sometimes our work feels like a real-life video game. We brave challenges, dodge obstacles and are constantly tested in our pursuit of science. Each site, each day brings new trials. If you succeed, you will discover the secrets of the universe and reach new stages in your career as a scientist. Are you ready for the challenge?
Object of the game: You are a scientist interested in the hidden lives of penguins. You have come to South Georgia, one of the most remote places on Earth, to collect samples that will tell you about the intricacies of the natural world. Your challenge is to find these penguins, collect the samples, and come back safely.
Outfit your avatar: You have a limited research budget you can use to get gear and supplies. You will need waterproof outer layers, warm clothing, high boots that go up to your knees, protection from the wind, water, cold, sun, air. In your bag, you will need supplies to collect samples, water and snacks to replenish your energy, extra clothing and first aid for emergencies, a radio for communication with your fellow players and the boat (so you can get picked up at the end of the day). You will also want a long stick to ward off territorial fur seals you will inevitably encounter. Optional – a camera to take pictures and earn bonus points.
Level 1: The landing
Objective: To make it safely onshore with your gear.
Grab a life vest, get in the Zodiac to traverse the bay and reach the shore. Hold on tight to the ropes, protect your gear. Watch the weather carefully to see where the wind and surf are calmest. Pick a good spot that can get you and your team safely onto the beach without getting the Zodiac stuck. Make sure to avoid swimming animals as you drive over. Entering and exiting the Zodiac can be a challenge to avoid falling in the water or getting wet as you land. Getting wet is an instant fail; return to start. Try your best to jump out from at the bow of the boat when it is stable.
Level 2: The Beach
Objective: to get your team and gear safely across the beach.
When you land, curious and furious fur-seals, both young and adult, surround you instantly. Watch out for slapping elephant seals too. Use your hiking stick to ward them off. A few simple taps will usually be enough but be vigilant, some fur-seals will follow to attack. Find a path with the fewest seal obstacles; remember they come in different sizes – bigger ones are scarier but move less quickly, medium ones move fast and are unpredictable, babies are cute but can still bite. Penguins and other seabirds will also be present on the beach but they are mostly harmless. Get yourself and the gear quickly away from the surf and onto safe terrain. Store your shore barrel (for emergencies) on higher ground and begin the ascent to the penguin colony.
Level 3: The Cliffside
Objective: Climb up a steep cliff to get up the hill.
The next part of the journey is a steep climb from the beach up to 200m. You will have to find sure footing on rocks and grass as you scale the hillside. Careful not to slip on wet rocks or loose gravel. By the way, you are still in fur-seal territory – they are often hidden in the tall grasses (tussac) so make sure you avoid getting bitten. Keep your stick out and stay vigilant.
Level 4: The Ridge
Objective: Trek across the mountain to find the penguin colony.
Congratulations, you made it safely up the mountain. Enjoy the view, take pictures for bonus points. But don’t stop for too long, remember you still have a long way to go and need to make it safely back to the boat while the weather is still favorable. Set a course for the penguin colony over the rocks, grass, and tussac. It’s easy to get distracted by the views but don’t forget there are still sinkholes, pits, and burrows hidden in the tussac. The terrain goes up and down, sometimes rolling meadows abruptly end in a jagged ridge you must climb up or down. There is no marked trail and you only know the general direction. Use the surrounding landscape and seascape as your markers to guide your direction (hint: the penguins are doing it, think like them). You can use your radio to get help if you need it. Oh, watch out for nesting seabirds hidden in the tussac! Bonus points if you find these and take picture or collect samples; but if you accidently trample chicks or nests, you will have to report it to the authorities and lose your status as a scientist. Tread carefully!
Level 5: The Colony
Objective: Carefully dodge penguins to collect their poop.
You found the penguin colony. Now the real research work begins. You must collect the precious samples. Find a suitable site to work from. Walk carefully between the nests and watch carefully to see which penguins poop. Then carefully scoop the poop into collection tubes with your trusty spatulas. Be careful not to lose your tubes, the samples, or disturb any penguins. Earn points for each successfully collected sample; lose points for getting nipped or distressing the birds. Damage to chicks, nests, or penguins will result in losing your life as a scientist.
Level 6: Penguin Wrangling
Objective: Catch penguins to collect blood samples
Pick a suitable adult and use your net to catch. Stealth and speed is the trick here. Using distractions can also work. Once you have one in a net, quickly grab them by their feet and hold them carefully – a tight grip on the feet, support them by the belly, and avoid their sharp bills and powerful flippers. Team work is key – make sure someone is watching the chicks so that the local predators (petrels, skuas, and sheathbills) don’t take them while their parent is away. With your bird in hand, work quickly with your team to take measurements and blood samples. Make sure to hold the bird firmly to avoid getting hurt yourself or harming the penguin. Earn points for each sample collected. Bonus for being speedy and careful, and keeping your gear somewhat clean. The weather can change quickly and that can affect the ability of your team to collect data.
Level 7: Return to the Ship
Objective: Get your samples back safely to the boat
Congratulations for successfully getting the valuable samples. But time is running out. You need to get back to the boat before the wind changes. Pack up your samples, eat a snack or drink some water to get a boost of energy, and then begin the journey back. Remember you need to find your way back across the hillside, over ridges, and down steep and slippery slopes. Make sure you avoid the fur seals, try to collect bonus points for nesting seabirds, and make you way to the beach without falling. Radio the boat that you are ready to be picked up. Meet your Zodiac (do not forget to put on your life vest) and get in without getting washed off by the waves. Hold on tight, you are almost there. Navigate back to the ship; remember the winds and currents could have changed so your ship may have moved. The last step is to carefully unload your gear and samples at the boat. Then climb on to the ship yourself. You are not done yet. You need to clean everything that went ashore for biosecurity – you have to scrub off any unwanted plant and animal parts that maybe stuck to you, so that you are not moving biological material anywhere else.
YOU WON! Congratulations – you did it. You successfully acquired the samples you need to move up to the next level as a scientist! You will need to collect samples from other sites and then begin your work in the lab!
Sushma Reddy is a professor and curator of birds at the University of Minnesota and Bell Museum of Natural History. Her research focuses on multiple aspects of bird diversity. She is interested in how birds evolve using genetics, morphology, and other information and using this to examine how many species of penguins there are. She is also interested in collecting dead penguins for museum specimens to be studied by other researchers for decades to come. This is her first trip to the Southern Ocean and is really enjoying seeing and hearing the cackling penguin colonies.
