One of the main industries of the Falklands is tourism. There is so much wildlife that makes it's home there undisturbed...Several different breeds of penguins, seals and sea lions, albatrosses, dolphins and whales. The most accessible King penguin colony in the world is found not far from Stanley on a place called Volunteer Point. (Named after a shipwreck off that coast). To get there requires one and a half hours of bouncing over peat soil in a 4x4. Dave Morris kindly took us one day, and it was breath-taking. I never imagine the beaches to be so white nor the water so turquoise on the Falklands! The penguins are fascinating.... they are so tame, you can get up really close to them. There are three different breeds found at "Volunteers" as the Islanders call it. The King, the Gentoo, and the Magellanic. I couldn't decide which photos to publish, they are all just so neat, so here goes all of them! I wish I knew how to embed videos, because to see them walking is so amazing... but have never had a successful attempt to post a video!
The scenery driving out to Volunteer Point
These buildings belong to one of the many sheep stations along the way. There was a sign that said "Caution, Free Range Kids!" Here's one of them!
At the sheep station
Inside the honesty box - Anzac biscuits, cherry chews, muffins....
We went down this slope easy!
The King colony from a distance
There is a chick there with brown feathers which he will lose eventually.
Walking down to the sea
A chick nearly changed his suit!
Sign says "penguins only beyond this point"
The beautiful beach
Coming down from the rookery to take a dip
The Kings and a Gentoo
Going...going...gone!
This is called the "creche" of the gentoos. All the chicks stay here, while the parents are out feeding. It's incredible to see when the parent comes back, it stands on the outer edge and calls. One chick out of that multitude will go running to it's parent! How does it know?? Then the parent instead of feeding it then and there, turns around and runs away! And makes the chick run after it flat tack. Once it's a long distance away from the creche, and the chick tires out, it will finally turn and feed it's baby! Apparently this is to strengthen the chick, and start leading it toward the beach. Chicks whose parents never come back because they've died at sea, will just starve to death in the creche.
This day was hot for the penguins (around 25oC), and many were just flopped on the ground panting.
Gentoo adults
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