So you saw "March of the Penguins" and think you know everything about penguins? Think again. "Secrets of the Penguins" takes advantage of new tech and scientific advances to provide us with never-filmed-before behavior of the incredible birds that reveals curious traditions and surprising ingenuity.
Traveling outside the States? You can watch "Secrets of the Penguins" online from anywhere with a VPN.
► U.S. date and time: "Secrets of the Penguins" premieres on Sunday, April 20 at 8 p.m. ET with all episodes streaming from Monday, April 21.
• U.S. — Watch on NatGeo via Sling / Fubo | Hulu
• U.K. — Nat Geo WILD•
• Australia — Disney Plus
• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN
Sure, there's plenty of diving off ice floes, close escapes from dangerous predators and fridge magnet cute snaps of fluffy chicks snuggling up between the feet of their parents, but over the course of a two-year adventure led by award-winning Nat Geo Explorer Bertie Gregory the filmmakers uncovered much more.
Such as a bonded pair of emperor penguins practicing egg transfers with a snowball to hone their skills for the moment they will need to transfer a real egg, tenacious chicks navigating brash ice amid climate change, and young penguins using their beaks to hoist themselves out of a hole.
There are also healthy "rockaroni" chicks — a rare hybrid of rockhopper and macaroni penguins — and the first-ever footage of a hidden cave colony of African penguins and Galapagos penguins stealing fish straight from pelican beaks and skillfully herding sardine bait balls.
Here's everything you need to watch "Secrets of the Penguins" online – from wherever you are.
Watch 'Secrets of the Penguins' from anywhere
If you're not at home in the U.S. when "Secrets of the Penguins" streams, you can still tune in via a virtual private network, or VPN. A VPN makes it appear that you're surfing the web from your home location — meaning that you can access the streaming services you already pay for. It's all totally legal and easy to do.
We've tested many different VPN services and our favorite is NordVPN; it offers superb speeds, excellent customer service and a no-questions-asked 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out first to see if it's right for you. But you've got other VPN options too, so check out our full list of the best VPN services.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're visiting the U.K. and want to view a U.S. service, you'd select U.S. from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the show. Head to your Hulu account and stream "Secrets of the Penguins" online from wherever you happen to be.
How to watch 'Secrets of the Penguins' in the U.S.
"Secrets of the Penguins" premieres on National Geographic on Sunday, April 20 at 8 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. CT with all episodes streaming Monday, April 21 on Disney+ and Hulu. Disney Channel will also air the first episode on Earth Day (Tuesday), April 22 at 8 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. CT..
Don't have cable and want to tune in to future Nat Geo shows? If you've cut the cord, try Sling TV. The Sling Blue package costs from $46 per month and comes with more than 30 channels including National Geographic. Best of all, Sling is offering 50% off the first month.
Fubo is another option. A Pro Plan costs from $55 per month but gives you 121 channels, including National Geographic.
All three episodes will also be available to stream on Hulu.
Traveling outside the U.S.? You can always use a VPN – we recommend NordVPN – to watch Sling and Fubo from anywhere on the planet.
How to watch 'Secrets of the Penguins' in the U.K.
"Secrets of the Penguins" premieres in the U.K. on Earth Day (Tuesday), April 22 from 7 p.m. on National Geographic WILD UK. It is also available on Disney+ The UK home of National Geographic.
You'll find NatGeo on Sky (channel 129), Virgin Media (channel 266), BT (channel 317) and TalkTalk (channel 317).
Don't forget: U.S. nationals visiting the U.K. who don't want to wait that long can use a good VPN to access their usual streaming services from abroad. We recommend Nord VPN.
How to watch 'Secrets of the Penguins' in Australia
You can. "Secrets of the Penguins" will be released on Disney+ in Australia on Monday, April 21.
A Disney Plus Subscription costs from $13.99 per month or $139.99 annually.
However, if you are Down Under for work or on vacation, don't despair. You only need a VPN to access your usual provider back home and catch the show. We recommend Nord VPN.
'Secrets of the Penguins' full episode guide
Episode 1 – "Heart of the Emperors": In Antarctica, emperor penguin societies reveal mysterious bonds forged from birth. They are the secret to surviving their extreme world.
Episode 2 – "Rebels with a Cause": In the Southern Ocean, courageous penguins break the rules to find their edge. Taking risks helps make them the most successful of all.
Episode 3 – "Survival of the Smartest": The banded penguins ventured far beyond their icy homes, mastering deserts, tropical islands and even city life – to become perhaps the smartest of all.
Watch "Secrets of the Penguins" trailer
What to know about 'Secrets of the Penguins'
Where did filming take place for "Secrets of the Penguins"?
A huge two-year adventure took in the rocky beaches of Cape Town and the icy shores of South Georgia Island, the tropical Galapagos and Namibia's desert caves while a three-person crew also endured an astonishing 274 days filming on the Ekström Ice Shelf in Antarctica.
What makes this penguin documentary different?
Unlike traditional penguin docs, "Secrets of the Penguins" uses cutting-edge filming techniques and rare access to reveal intimate, human-like behaviors in penguins, showcasing their adaptability and complex social lives.
Is "Secrets of the Penguins" suitable for kids?
Yes. The documentary is family-friendly and educational, making it a great choice for children and adults interested in nature, animals and conservation.
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Disclaimer
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
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