This includes analysing samples of blood and droppings from the birds to identify which viruses and parasites are present in their bodies, as well as how their diets and ecological associations are adapting as climate change affects prey availability. The effects of climate change are an especially pressing issue for the Antarctic Peninsula, where temperatures rose by an alarming 3°C between 1970 and 2020.

“What we would expect as things warm up is that new parasites and diseases might be able to move further south into areas such as Antarctica, where they weren’t before,” explains Jane. “That’s what we think is maybe happening, but no one’s really monitoring it. It’s definitely something we need to look at and see if certain diseases might be a new problem for penguins in the future.”

This information will then help scientists to identify penguin species that may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and aid in future conservation work.

Jane continues: “Our results from the trip will help to establish a baseline, and hopefully I’ll be able to go back every few years and keep sampling to see how things are changing over time.”

During the trip, the team collected over 500 samples of penguin droppings, as well as around 200 blood samples. They are now preparing to analyse the DNA from these, which will reveal an amazing level of detail. For example, the pathogens present in the faeces can be compared with infection markers in the same bird’s blood, which can show whether they are actually ill as a result.

This was used in part to purchase cold-weather gear to help the team brave the extreme conditions. Taking place in December 2021 and January 2022, the expedition fell at the height of summer for the Southern Hemisphere. While this meant the weather was at its warmest, it still involved temperatures of a chilly -5°C, plenty of layers and socks that more closely resembled mittens.

You might think of the Antarctic and its surrounding territories as plain, flat expanses of icy tundra, the team were in fact greeted by a vista of craggy mountains – a beautiful contrast to the potentially claustrophobic quarters of the 23.5m, six-cabin yacht. The team then ran ashore in small boats called Zodiacs that enabled them to reach remote colonies.

“Using a small vessel meant we could access more areas, taking samples from regions that hadn’t been surveyed for several decades, which will give us a much better picture of what’s happening across the Antarctic,” explains Jane.

The expedition was lucky to rarely run into rough seas, when high winds cause swells that prevent the Zodiacs from making trips ashore. The isolated environment kept the team on their toes, though, such as when a large block of ice sheared off a cliff and into the water near the yacht.

“A wave went over most of the boat, we rocked over onto our side and things were thrown around,” shares Jane. “Even the captain said they’d never seen a chunk of ice that big fall that close before!”

But the occasional scare was worth it, as Jane and Katie are both incredibly positive about their experience onboard the Vinson of Antarctica – and about the future of their research.

“No one’s really done an in-depth study of this type on animals before,” adds Katie, “especially on something as mad as a penguin!”