Magellanic Penguins' Refuge: Punta Tombo Rookery

Penguins are definitely one of the cutest and most charismatic animals on Earth. Dressed up a in a tuxedo-like suit, 1.5 to 2 feet (50 to 70 centimeters) high and weighting from 9 to 11 pounds (4 to 5 kilograms), hundreds of thousands of Magellanic Penguins will be our hosts in our visit to the Punta Tombo Reserve. Punta Tombo is a rocky piece of land that projects into the sea. It hosts soft gravel beaches, sea shell beaches, coastal dunes and outcrops of volcanic red rock. In this reserve we will visit the Magellanic Penguin rookery (the breeding ground of penguins), which represents the largest continental breeding colony of Magellanic penguins in the World (apart from Antarctica).

The Magellanic Penguin is a sea bird. It is an excellent swimmer, but it is not able to fly. It is able to swim at a speed of 5 miles (8 kilometers) an hour using their fins as propellers and their feet as a rudder. Adults have a black back and a white chest with a double black band. Both sexes have the same colors. Sexism is inexistent between them; both of them defend their nest, incubate the eggs and feed the nestling with fish and squid.

Located 112 miles (180 kilometers) from Puerto Madryn and 62 miles (100 kilometers) from Trelew, this protected area spreads over 210 hectares harboring a Magellanic Penguins population of over half a million.

It’s mid September when hundreds of thousands of Magellanic Penguins come in from the sea to nest on land. They build their nests under the bushes, in caves and in open places. Most of the caves are found near the coast, where the soil is softer for digging. They usually return to the same nests year after year The eggs are incubated for 40 days by both parents. New-born penguins weight about 2.8 ounces (80 grams) and are covered by grey feathers which are shed in February and March.

The sight of this enormous penguin population is absolutely overwhelming. The Zoological Society of New York, together with Argentine scientists, has intensively been studying this colony since 1982. This is the reason why it is possible to see animals identified with metal rings, as well as nests and bushes marked with either plastic tapes or nails driven in the ground. It is in this protected area where penguin’s chicks take their first swimming lessons, mainly in small tidal pools, before starting their migratory trip.

Our guide will take you through special paths between thousands of penguins where you will be fully introduced into the world of the Magellanic Penguin.
 

Difficulty: low

Duration: About 10 hours.Approximate traveled distance: 229 miles (366 kilometers). Approximately 16 miles (25 kilometers) of the road in our journey is unpaved (gravel roads).

Guide: shared English/Spanish speaking guide

Transfer: shared vehicle.

Includes: transfers + entrance ticket to Punta Tombo Reserve