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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
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