Penguins demonstrate remarkable resilience, and these researchers are uncovering their hidden insights.
Pablo "Popi" Garcia Borboroglu, a prominent marine biologist from Argentina, and Bertie Gregory, a British wildlife filmmaker, have been named the 2025 Rolex Explorers of the Year for their combined efforts to protect and understand penguins.
Borboroglu, now 55, was first enchanted by penguins as a boy in Buenos Aires Province, listening to his grandmother's tales of visiting penguin colonies in Patagonia. At 19, he worked as a tour guide and witnessed his first penguin, sparking a lifelong passion to conserve the species. His initiatives have helped secure 32 million acres of critical coastal and marine habitats for penguins.
Gregory, 31, found his calling as a teenage wildlife photographer in the English countryside. Today, he is a pioneering filmmaker, best known for his work on documentaries like "Secrets of the Penguins," for which he collaborated with Borboroglu. To film one of the series' episodes, he camped for over two months near an emperor penguin colony in Antarctica's Atka Bay. His efforts resulted in never-before-seen footage of hundreds of young emperor penguins making a daring "BASE jump" off a 50-foot cliff as they entered the sea.
Jill Tiefenthaler, the CEO of the Rolex Explorers Club, highlighted the collaborative nature of their work, stating that they deepen our understanding of penguins and foster global action to protect them.
While specific conservation accomplishments are not explicitly stated for Gregory, his impact lies in raising global awareness about penguins and other threatened species through engaging and educational content across various broadcasting platforms, thereby complementing on-the-ground conservation efforts.
Borboroglu's influence is rooted in scientific research, policy-making, and direct habitat protection, earning him awards such as the 2018 Buffett Award for conservation leadership. His works, including the book "Penguins: Natural History and Conservation," contribute significantly to the scientific community and conservation advocacy.
These two explorers exemplify the power of collaboration in exploration, using groundbreaking conservation science and masterful storytelling to deepen our understanding of penguins and galvanize global action to protect them.
- Pablo "Popi" Garcia Borboroglu's longstanding passion for penguins began as a boy in Buenos Aires Province, inspired by his grandmother's stories of visiting penguin colonies in Patagonia.
- At 19, Borboroglu worked as a tour guide and witnessed his first penguin, spurring a lifelong commitment to conserve the species.
- His initiatives have resulted in the protection of 32 million acres of critical coastal and marine habitats for penguins.
- Bertie Gregory, a pioneering wildlife filmmaker, developed his passion for penguins as a teenager doing photography in the English countryside.
- To film for the documentary series "Secrets of the Penguins," Gregory camped for over two months near an emperor penguin colony in Antarctica's Atka Bay, capturing never-before-seen footage of hundreds of baby emperor penguins daringly jumping off a 50-foot cliff into the sea.
- Jill Tiefenthaler, the CEO of the Rolex Explorers Club, commended their combined work, stating that it deepens our understanding of penguins and galvanizes global action to protect them.
- Although specific conservation accomplishments are not explicitly stated for Gregory, he significantly impacts the cause by raising global awareness about penguins and other threatened species through engaging and educational content across various broadcasting platforms.
- Borboroglu's impact is deeply rooted in scientific research, policy-making, and direct habitat protection, earning him awards such as the 2018 Buffett Award for conservation leadership.
- Borboroglu's works, like the book "Penguins: Natural History and Conservation," contribute significantly to the scientific community and conservation advocacy.
- Together, these two explorers demonstrate the power of collaboration in exploration, using groundbreaking conservation science and masterful storytelling to broaden our understanding of penguins and drive global action to protect them.
- This duo's adventure-travel partnership has also expanded our perception of nature, penguins, and the earth, influencing our lifestyle and inspiring us to be stewards of our planet's wildlife and habitats.
