A BBC nature crew watched penguins suffer in Antarctica — then broke their biggest rule to save them

Have you ever been tempted to break a strict office rule intentionally? Well, at some point, most of us might have either breached a non-negotiable rule or at least have been seen as violating one. Something similar happened to the BBC (@bbcearth on YouTube) film crew, who eventually broke their stringent "no interference" policy to rescue a group of penguins from a devastating situation. The film crew, led by Sir David Attenborough, was in Antarctica, shooting for his series Dynasties, when they saw penguins stuck in a ravine. Unfortunately, some penguins had tragically passed away, trapped in a deep ditch, with no way out.

"I know it's natural, but it's really hard to watch," a crew member said as he struggled to hold back his tears. The film crew was about to pack up from the location when they saw one penguin, in particular, manage to make its way up the fatal ravine. The brave bird successfully climbed the steep, narrow valley using its feet and beak, proving that resilience and determination can easily win over any challenge in life. "Oh, man! If only the other 50 in there could do the same," another team member said, wishing the other penguins a safe rescue. Two days later, when the team arrived at the same spot, they were heartbroken to see more casualties because of the deadly hole. And this was the moment the team decided to intervene and save those innocent little penguins.

"We have given it a lot of thought. We have decided that we are definitely going to dig a shallow ramp that they will hopefully use," a man announced. Without further ado, the film crew began digging through the snow, trying to build a few steps for the birds. As expected, the penguins used the ramp, wading their way out of the hole. "Oh, my goodness! We were literally just about to leave, but the first birds are definitely making their way out, which is brilliant," a team member said.

Meanwhile, @findingdori4267 commented, "You aren't intervening. You just demonstrated one human quality, and that is compassion. Thank you very much." Similarly, @anveshanve8295 wrote, "What is human if we don't have humanity...you guys followed the most important rule as a human, showing kindness and helping other beings. Well done." @danieldanielsen pointed out, "NOT helping creatures of the wild after what we as humans have done to the planet and wildlife's natural habitats should be a crime. Happy the crew stepped in and did the right thing." @w-james9277 revealed, "I am normally against helping wild animals as I believe you should let nature take its course. But on this occasion, I'm glad they did. No predator was being denied, and there was no harm done."

@castigatejones3181 said, "Given the extent humanity unintentionally renders animal lives more difficult due to our actions, I believe a bit of intentional intervention in order to aid animals is absolutely warranted." On the other hand, @carolinaortizcruz commented, "Still one of the most heroic and beautiful footage I've seen. Thank you for helping them. We are part of this planet, and we need to understand we are not better than them; we all belong to Mother Earth." @pdxpocoutdoors commented, "It was the right thing to do. They’re not stopping one animal from eating another. They’re making a way for trapped penguins to escape a sure death. That’s called using good judgment and doing the right thing."

You can follow BBC (@bbcearth) on YouTube for more such animal-related documentaries.