Odd Man Out In The Falklands

A King Among Gentoo Penguins

On visiting The Falkland Islands the big attraction is looking for penguins and sea lions. Traveling up to the windswept north coast we found that both the sea lions and the penguins had plenty of newborns among them. It was February and the Gentoo Penguins were there making up large colonies.

Above: One colony it seemed had adopted a sole King Penguin as one of their own. Looking very much like the Emperor Penguin, the smaller King is the second largest of the penguins and stands a full head above his gentoo friends.

A colony of Sea Lions with dozens of moms and their new pups. In the foreground is a vulture, one of many that were attracted to the afterbirth.

On a cruise returning from Antarctica our ship stopped in The Falklands and these islands, located in the South Atlantic Ocean, are renowned for their rich wildlife and stunning natural landscapes. They are a popular destination for wildlife enthusiasts, as they host five species of penguins, each one nesting at a different time. They’re also frequented by elephant seals, and sea lions, as well as 220 species of birds making it a prime spot for nature lovers.

Visiting A Penguin Colony

Hiring a local guide we traveled for almost an hour over mostly dirt roads through open land to reach the southern coast. Once there and almost a mile inland from the sea were the penguin rookeries with literally thousands of penguins. It was amazing as the penguins payed us no mind and you could just walk into the middle of the colonies. On the return trip we also visited a rocky shore full of elephant seals with newborn pups. All in all a really great experience!