Penguins lay first eggs of the season near Ukraine's Antarctic station

06.11.2026, 19:11 rubryka.com

The National Antarctic Scientific Center says they expect the penguins to lay several thousand eggs across the island, Rubryka reports.

Biologists with Ukraine's 31st Antarctic Expedition had been waiting for nesting to begin after spotting the penguins mating in late September. In recent weeks, researchers have been regularly checking Galindez Island, focusing on nests that had already begun to take shape.

The entire station team joined the search. More than 8,000 penguins live on the island, so expedition members kept an eye out for eggs even during routine walks and while going about their daily work.

The first egg was spotted by Yelyzaveta Pidhaietska, the doctor with the 31st expedition. She found it on the morning of November 2, on a rock near the geospace laboratory, also known as the DNC building.

"I went up to each group of penguins and slowly looked into their nests. Then one bird stood up, and I saw something light underneath it. At first, I thought it was just a foot. But then I took a photo, zoomed in, and realized it was an egg!" Pidhaietska said.

Researchers have found the first egg on this same rock for three consecutive years. They believe this may be because it's one of the island's highest nesting sites. Snow melts there earlier, making the rock suitable for nesting sooner.

After the first discovery, biologists continued checking the island. So far, they have found 14 eggs in different areas. Given the number of penguins, researchers expect the birds to lay several thousand eggs.

Gentoo penguins usually lay two eggs at a time, though some nests contain three. The eggs are grayish-green and similar in shape and size to goose eggs.

The birds build their nests out of small stones. Both parents take turns incubating the eggs. When the female goes to feed in the ocean, the male stays at the nest. Then they switch.

For researchers, it's important to pinpoint the exact date when penguins start laying eggs.

"Scientists need to record the exact date the first egg appears so they can track changes from year to year and study the effects of outside factors, including climate change," the researchers said.

The National Antarctic Scientific Center noted that last year's breeding season near Vernadskyi Station ended with a record number of penguins — nearly 11,000. Researchers say they will later share the number of penguins gathering on the island this season.

They also said the first chicks are still more than a month away.

"For now, we're waiting for the little ones. They should hatch a little over a month from now," the scientists said.

As Rubryka previously reported, thousands of gentoo penguins returned to Ukraine's Akademik Vernadskyi research station this year. They surprised researchers by leaving Galindez Island later than ever, then returning earlier than ever.

Earlier, researchers announced the birth of the first Weddell seal pup of the season near Akademik Vernadskyi Station on September 17. The researchers spotted the newborn after seeing Antarctic terns circling above the birth site. The pup is a girl named Sally.