Raivo was very excited to see his first penguin in Puerto Williams. We spotted it at dusk, just along the shore of Seno Lauta, after one of our long days out walking. He was beside himself with curiousity and could not help but go in for a quick look up close.
He did not remember seeing the Magellanic penguin colony (70,000 mating pairs) at Monte León National Park in Argentina when he was 6 months old or the Jackass penguin colony in Simons Town when he was a year old.
It is quite unusual to see penguins within the area of Puerto Williams, so we figured that there was something wrong with the little guy, and that he was probably sick or injured.
We heard from some other sailors, Auli & Irjala from SV Manta, that they saw the same penguin a day later, a bit further down the shoreline of the Beagle, with a wound under its right wing. It was falling over, getting attacked by the vultures. Sad news for my kids to hear, but also a gift for them to learn in real time about the cycle of nature and life.
Raivo takes a look at a lone juvenile Magallanic penquin on the shore of Seno Lauta Harbour. Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016) |
Magellanic Penquin (juvenile) - Seno Lauta Harbour Isla Navarino - CHILE / XII Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena (febrero de 2016) |