Twenty years after the world fell in love with the dapper stars of its Oscar-winning documentary March of the Penguins, National Geographic is heading back to the world of the waddlers with Secrets of the Penguins, debuting April 20.
“How can you not have a fascination with penguins?” asks acclaimed wildlife filmmaker Bertie Gregory, who spent two years shooting this enchanting three-part series. “Their upright posture and little tuxedo outfits make them such crowd-pleasers…and don’t get me started on the fluffy chicks! I hope viewers will not only appreciate their incredible superpowers but also have a greater interest in protecting them and their habitats.”
Executive produced by James Cameron and narrated by actress Blake Lively, Secrets of the Penguins hops around the globe as these “masters of the sea and land” give Gregory and his crew a show like never before.
“There are so many moments being seen for the first time,” marvels Gregory of the incredible footage he was able to capture, including of a bold mama fighting back against a giant sea lion, a colony of cave-dwelling penguins in Africa’s Namib Desert, and the birth of a chick spawned by members of two different penguin species in the Falkland Islands.
Gregory’s personal favorite: emperor chicks base-jumping off a 50-foot cliff in Antarctica. “I had heard of this behavior, but no one has ever filmed it for TV before,” he adds. “It never really occurred to me that it might actually be possible.”
And it’s not just the humans on-site who are having first-time experiences either. “The wonderful thing about penguins is their curiosity. They would often come over to investigate us,” recalls Gregory. “Some of these penguins have never seen a human being before. As much as it can be otherworldly for us, it’s the same for them!”
Secrets of the Penguins, Series Premiere Sunday, April 20, 8/7c, National Geographic
