Celebrating Antarctica on Penguin Awareness Day

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Projects: Protecting Antarctica's Southern Ocean
Celebrating Antarctica on Penguin Awareness Day

The author, Dr. Rodolfo Werner, is a marine biologist and wildlife conservationist who has devoted his professional career to the study and conservation of the Patagonian Sea, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica. For the past 12 years, he has focused his work on Antarctic marine conservation. Werner is an adviser to the Antarctic Southern Ocean Coalition and The Pew Charitable Trusts on such issues as penguin conservation, marine protected areas, and management of Antarctic krill fisheries.
Picasa Dr. Rodolfo Werner
When voyaging to Antarctica, the first glimpse of the White Continent is spectacular. Fog sat atop the ice during our approach to the South Shetland Islands, which run parallel to the Antarctic Peninsula.
Picasa Dr. Rodolfo Werner
Our first encounter with the white and black ambassadors of Antarctica took place a day and a half into our journey, when we came across a colony of chinstrap penguins on Barrientos Island.
Dr. Rodolfo Werner Dr. Rodolfo Werner
A mother humpback whale and her calf visited us and showed off in the waters on the edge of the English Strait.
Dr. Rodolfo Werner Dr. Rodolfo Werner
We encountered our first Weddell seals on the shore of Half Moon Island. These masters of diving in the cold Southern Ocean waters were relaxing in the snow as we passed by them.
Dr. Rodolfo Werner Dr. Rodolfo Werner
Chinstrap penguins are busy nesting in December, and we were able to witness them traveling back and forth from the beach to their nest mounds, which are free of snow this time of year.
Dr. Rodolfo Werner Dr. Rodolfo Werner
During an excursion to Danco Island, we ran into a colony of gentoo penguins scurrying about in the snow.
Dr. Rodolfo Werner Dr. Rodolfo Werner
I received a rare gift: catching sight of the elusive macaroni penguin during our stop at Orne Harbour on Christmas Day—a spectacular present for me. These penguins consume massive quantities of krill each year—more reason to establish large protected areas in the Southern Ocean.
Dr. Rodolfo Werner Dr. Rodolfo Werner
Works of ice art are visible all over the glaciers in the Southern Ocean; some even resemble animals from vastly different environments.
Dr. Rodolfo Werner Dr. Rodolfo Werner
True to the species’ social nature, we spotted this Adélie penguin chatting up a friendly gentoo penguin at the northern entrance of the Lemaire Channel.
Dr. Rodolfo Werner Dr. Rodolfo Werner
This little gentoo penguin chick was under the strict supervision of its mother in Port Lockroy.
Dr. Rodolfo Werner Dr. Rodolfo Werner
Krill is the major food source for many species in Antarctica, including gentoo penguins. We witnessed many “red” penguins, such as this gentoo after feasting on krill.
Dr. Rodolfo Werner Dr. Rodolfo Werner
With so many nesting penguins, I was able to capture this gentoo mother feeding her chick. Females eat more krill than do males in order to properly nourish their chicks.
Dr. Rodolfo Werner Dr. Rodolfo Werner
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