Penguin caught on camera admiring reflection

A penguin has been caught on camera in an apparent act of vanity admiring his reflection in a pool.

Published: 7:30AM BST 09 Apr 2010

Captured in the icy wastelands of Gourdin Island, off the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, the small "philosophical" Gentoo penguin seemed to study his mirror image carefully in a remarkable human-like pose.
Surrounded by the thousands of fellow birds on the island, which is a nesting ground for Adeline, Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins, the little male was one who stood out from the feathery crowd.
The astonishing pictures were captured in February by PR consultancy Director Edward Dixon, 45, as he cruised around the continent with a band of wildlife photographers aiming to document the region's animals.
Travelling aboard the 72 metre and 1753 ton 'Professor Molchanov', a Finnish-built reinforced research vessel originally made for the Russian Institute of Science in 1982, the group was led by the Ocean Geographic Society, an Australian non-profit marine life and conservation force.
Mr Dixon, 45, from Singapore, said: "I was sitting in the middle of literally thousands of penguins, looking for something new and interesting to photograph.
"Most of the birds were either chasing their parents for food, or collecting food for their chicks, but this one looked almost philosophical among the chaos.
"I was watching a few penguins splash through this puddle, and this guy stopped in his tracks and looked down like he saw his reflection.
"It was a very child-like gesture. As if a kid was looking in the mirror for the first time. He seems fascinated, which made him even more human-like.
"He actually stayed staring at his own face for several minutes before wandering off and blending back in with the masses of penguins on the beach."
Gentoos are easily recognised by their wide bonnet-like strip spanning the tops of their heads.
Adults can reach a height of 36in, making them the biggest breed outside the two giant species, the Emperor and King Penguins.
The birds are mainly found around the Antarctic Peninsula and are the fastest swiming penguins - cruising underwater at up to 22 miles-per-hour.

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