Penguin Barely Escapes Hungry Orcas By Jumping On Tourist Boat

A gentoo penguin escaped a pod of hungry orcas by leaping onto a boat of cheering tourists in Antarctica.

Viral video (watch above) shows the penguin frantically trying to outswim one of the killer whales, then slamming against the Zodiac as it tried to jump aboard, according to Buzz60. It sprang once more from the waters of the Gerlache Strait and got a small assist from one of the passengers to reach safety.

Matt Karsten, who filmed the chase, told The Daily Mail on Monday that the orcas appeared playful at first, even swimming right up to the camera to say “hello.”

Then they were all business when the penguin appeared.

“It was like watching a National Geographic episode on location,” he said. “I imagine the penguin was very relieved to get away.”

The giant predators followed the boat and its scrumptious cargo for a bit before giving up, and the penguin returned to the water, Buzz60 noted.

This penguin may have survived its close call, but sometimes nature has other plans when an animal appears to escape its doom.

Here’s a longer look at Karsten’s footage, which was posted by the tabloid last month.