RARE ALL BLACK PENGUIN PHOTOGRAPHED BY BELGIAN PHOTOGRAPHER

South Georgia Island, one of the world's most isolated locations, is well-known for its untamed scenery, frigid temperatures, and remarkable fauna. Yves Adams, a Belgian photographer, has been to the island many times, but on a recent trip, he found something surprising. When Adams arrived at St. Andrew's Bay on the island in November of last year, a fellow photographer spotted an odd bird waddling across the shore. The bird was quickly identified as an extremely rare all-black penguin.

Before the unusual penguin returned to its colony, Adams was able to take pictures of it in isolation. Its entire body was covered in black feathers, and it lacked the characteristic yellow markings and white bellies of its species.

This all-black penguin had a remarkable silhouette against the grey beach and in comparison to the other members of its colony. Melanism, a rare occurrence in bird and mammal species, is the cause of the penguin's plumage. An animal's skin or feathers turn darker when the amount of melanin, the natural pigment that gives them colour, increases. Adams told PetaPixel, "The other birds accepted it completely, and his size wasn't different in any way."