THE GREAT ESCAPE
Penguin leaps on tour boat as orcas give chase
WHEN the thoughts of a pod of killer whales turn to lunch it’s probably wise to vacate the vicinity – pronto!
Which is exactly what this lone penguin did, and ended up jumping out of their hungry mouths and into the safety of a tourist dinghy.
Up until then it was touch and go whether the little creature was going to escape as he repeatedly shot out of the water in a dramatic flight from the orcas.
Once aboard the boat, the gentoo penguin stood proudly among the beaming holidaymakers as if to accept their congratulations.
Travel blogger Matt Karsten and wife Anna, 32, filmed the incredible scene on a tour through the icebergs in the Gerlache Strait, Antarctica.
Mr Karsten, 40, said: ‘We were heading out for a Zodiac cruise between icebergs when a large pod of orcas showed up playing in the water besides us. They swam right up to the camera and said hello.’ Soon after, they spotted the penguin swimming nearby and, sensing a quick snack, set off after the bird.
Heart-stopping footage shows the penguin repeatedly jumping out of the icy water with the killer whales in hot pursuit – darting between the boats as their would-be victim tried to give them the slip.
Suddenly, the penguin tries to jump into one of the boats but lands just short and instead bounces off the side and back into the sea.
Seconds later, it tries once again, successfully making it and is helped aboard by the tourists. Mr Karsten added: ‘It was crazy to see in person.
It was like watching a National Geographic episode on location. I imagine the penguin was very relieved to get away.
‘The orcas did follow for a while. They gave up in the end leaving the penguin safe with his new friends.
‘After cruising for a little bit, the penguin said goodbye to the boat and hopped back into the icy water.’
Mr Karsten – who calls himself the Expert Vagabond – has been travelling around the world visiting more than 50 countries since 2010 and is currently based in Yucatan, Mexico.
Gentoo penguins have a white stripe across the top of their heads, a bright orangered bill with light pink feet and are typically 28-37in (7095cm) tall.