Penguin Post Office

Gr 5 Up—Not the usual offering from this series, this program is half wildlife documentary and half travel show. A gentoo penguin colony comes to breed in this part of stark Antarctica, which is also home to the most southerly post office in the world, located at a British base. Since there are no trees, the penguins make their nests with pebbles. They tolerate tourists, must be watchful of predators, and are exceedingly territorial. One scene shows several mature penguins attacking a chick. This is all the more disturbing as narrator Brian Unger explains there is no apparent reason for the hostile behavior. (Unger's delivery is smooth and unobtrusive throughout.) The rest of the running time is dedicated to brief interviews with post office staff and tourists. The shots of penguins are fascinating, and there is plenty of vocabulary to be learned, such as brood pouch and egg tooth. However, other Nature documentaries on penguins include more educational material.