Emperor Penguins in Antarctica Accidentally Take the Perfect Selfie

Emperor Penguin Selfie

© Eddie Gault/Australian Antarctic Division

A couple of Emperor penguins are ready for their close up in a video taken at the Auster Rookery near Australia’s Mawson research station in Antarctica. In the short video clip, two curious penguins toddle over to a video camera left by Australian Antarctic expeditioner Eddie Gault. In no time, they've flipped it on its side and proceeded to mug for the camera, accidentally taking some pretty great selfies.

Hearing the crunching snow under their feet and cooing noises, it makes you wonder what these two were saying to each other. Since the video was posted by the Australian Antarctic Division, it's gone viral, with more than 5,500 shares on the organization's Facebook page and 15,000 likes on Twitter.

This isn't the first time an animal selfie has made a splash. From clever cats to adorable quokkas, some of the best animal selfies are snapped without human assistance. And who can forget the macaque monkey who snapped a selfie in 2011, and later sued the photographer whose camera he snatched to take the photos (PETA filed the lawsuit on the monkey's behalf) for copyright infringement?

After researcher Eddie Gault left behind his video camera, two curious Emperor penguins knock it over and get up close for some adorable animal selfies.

Emperor Penguin Selfie

© Eddie Gault/Australian Antarctic Division

Emperor Penguin Selfie

© Eddie Gault/Australian Antarctic Division

The penguin selfie video, which was posted by the Australian Antarctic Division, has gone viral, with nearly a million views across different social media platforms.

Australian Antarctic Division: Website | Facebook | Instagram | TwitterYoutube

My Modern Met granted permission to use media by Australian Antarctic Division.

Related Articles:

Stunning Photos of Penguins in Antarctica Show Harsh Realities of Life in the Wild

World Falls in Love with Quokka, Australia’s Most Adorable Animal

Adorable Elephant Takes Incredible “Elphie” with a Young Traveler’s GoPro

Real-Life ‘Animal Whisperer’ Takes the Best Selfies with Wild Animals

Jessica Stewart

Jessica Stewart is a Contributing Writer and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book 'Street Art Stories Roma' and most recently contributed to 'Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini'. You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.
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