Chatty penguin makes new friend

A sociable emperor penguin in Antarctica nicknamed Smudge decided to break the social distancing rules between scientist and subject to sidle up to an Australian researcher on its belly for a ‘chat’.Luckily this beginning of a potentially warm new friendship in one of the world's coldest places was caught on camera.The amusing clip was shared with Newsflash by Matthew Williams, leader of the Mawson research station in Antarctica, the most westerly of Australia's three continental stations.In the footage, researchers are seen walking on the snowy plateau as a cute emperor penguin catches up to them by sliding along the ice on its belly.Williams stops to ask how the penguin is, and it stands on its feet and bellows loudly as if answering the station leader.Williams tells the penguin to “keep up” as he turns to continue walking across the plateau.Lagging behind, the affable penguin slides on its belly again until it sidles alongside Williams who asks “trying to keep up buddy?”The penguin appears to reply and the station leader keeps up the ‘chat’.