Science

Miguel Ángel Peláez, veterinarian in Antarctica: “Penguins have tremendous stoicism”

We interviewed the Lieutenant Colonel deployed to the White Continent to find out how penguins behave and how they approach humans.

XXXIX Campaña Antártica

Laura Martin Sanjuan

Update: Feb 12th, 2026 05:08 EST

As the XXXIX Antarctic Campaign gets underway, a solitary penguin has taken social media by storm. Under the hashtag #BePenguin, millions of users have shared the now‑famous clip of the “penguin walking toward the mountains,” a video that has become a global viral symbol at the start of 2026. The footage, originally captured in 2007 by filmmaker Werner Herzog, resurfaced nearly two decades later and exploded into an emotional, political, and cultural phenomenon.

Across TikTok, X, and Instagram, the penguin has been interpreted in every way imaginable: a metaphor for resilience, a symbol of existential sadness, or a mirror of our own impulse to chase improbable paths. The wave grew even bigger with the so‑called “nihilist penguin,” a remix of the same clip that became one of January 2026’s biggest digital sensations, spawning memes, edits, and motivational posts centered on the lone bird marching toward an uncertain horizon.

With the penguin now elevated to global icon status, it’s worth asking what these animals are actually like in the real Antarctica — far from human projections. And for that, there’s no better source than the people who live alongside them every day.

In that vast white expanse, where the wind erases footprints in minutes and silence cuts through everything, Lt. Col. Miguel Ángel Peláez Guerra, a military veterinarian deployed with Spain’s XXXIX Antarctic Campaign, spoke with AS about what it’s really like to observe penguins up close. For him, it’s part work, part fascination, and part privilege.

Miguel Ángel Peláez, veterinarian in Antarctica: “Penguins have tremendous stoicism” — Penguins are always welcome at the Spanish military base in Antarctica.XXXIX Campaña Antártica

Tireless survivors in an extreme world

Peláez describes penguins with the respect reserved for creatures that have mastered a hostile environment.

“They spend most of their lives in the ocean, and they’re built to move in that world,” he explains. That’s why their clumsy appearance on land is nothing more than an illusion to human eyes.

“When they come ashore, they look awkward, sure — it’s hard for them to move. But they’re tireless,” he says. “They climb incredible distances and steep slopes to reach their nests and feed their chicks.”

That constant back‑and‑forth between the sea and their nests is a daily choreography of effort.

“They spend so much time going to and from the ocean with food. Sometimes they stop and rest on their bellies because they’re exhausted from swimming,” Peláez notes. In such a harsh environment, there’s no drama — just instinct. “If they need a break, they take it. Then they keep going. Their stoicism is remarkable.”

Curious and bold: life around the base

On land, where they have no natural predators, penguins behave in ways that would be unthinkable elsewhere: they get curious.

“We catch their attention. They come closer to check us out — always keeping a safe distance by instinct — but often their curiosity wins and they wander around the base,” Peláez says with an audible smile.

The scene repeats itself constantly.

“When you walk down to the beach, they come almost running, hopping toward you to see what you’re doing. And when they lose interest, they leave.” These small daily rituals break the military routine and remind everyone that Antarctica, despite its brutality, has its moments of humor.

The secret spot: natural hot‑spring penguins

Among the most unusual sights Peláez has encountered this season is something almost surreal: penguins lying on warm ground.

“There are geothermal vents here that release heat, and many penguins stop to rest almost lying flat on their bellies on the warm soil,” he explains.

In that tiny natural microclimate, the animals gather like beachgoers soaking up the sun.

“You can see groups of twenty or thirty taking a break and enjoying a warm bath,” he says. A unique feature of the island — almost a geothermal spa for birds that spend the rest of their day battling the elements.

Want to ‘adopt’ a penguin? You can

For penguin fans, Spain’s Military has set up a website where you can “adopt” one or more animals, choose a name, and even pick from different species — including seals and elephant seals, which are also part of the local wildlife. All you need to do is fill out a short form explaining why you want to adopt a penguin. You’ll even receive a certificate.