Friday, October 7, 2011

2011, October 4th - 7th: Puerto Madryn, Argentina.

2011, October 4th - 7th.
Puerto Madryn, Argentina.


Puerto Madryn, on the Atlantic coast of Northern Patagonia in Argentina is famed for a huge amount of sea life. While here I saw Elephant Seals, Southern Right Whales and Magellanic Penguins.

For a full complement of photos, go my Flickr account via the following link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/67212524@N04/sets/

Click on the set called "2011, October 4th - 7th: Puerto Madryn, Argentina"

Elephant Seals
The males can weigh 5 tonnes. The male´s elephant-like trunk allows them to close their airways and dive to tremendous depths (1500 metres). I was told that the males can hold their breath for two hours (?). While living on the beach, they have to stay there to keep control of their territory and do not feed. Their weight then drops from 5 to 4 tonnes.
One male elephant seal has up to 40 females in his ´harem´ (busy guy). There must be a lot of lonely male seals out there.





Female Elephant Seal on Punta Ninfas beach near to Puerto Madryn



Female Elephant Seal & Calf on Punta Ninfas beach near to Puerto Madryn

Southern Right Whales
Every year, the Southern Right Whales migrate from Antartica to spend 2-3 months in the Golfo Nuevo to mate and give birth. Inbetween times they feed in Antartica.
They favour this gulf because of the lack of wind (protected by cliffs), no Orches (Killer Whales) in the bay and an ideal water temperature. The mothers stay with the calf for approximately 3 years until it is independent.
The females are larger than the males, so the males get together in a group (of around 8) to mate with one female (kinky).




Southern Right Whale in Gulfo Nuevo near to Puerto Madryn

 

Southern Right Whale & Calf in Gulfo Nuevo near to Puerto Madryn




Magellanic Penguins
The colony looked pretty comical with penguins everywhere waddling around care-free, busy building their nests.
The male penguins do not fight for the females, but attract them with a finely constructed nest and a bit of courting.




Magellanic Penguin at Punto Tombo, near Trelew


Magellanic Penguin Colony at Punto Tombo, near Trelew








Southern Right Whale in Gulfo Nuevo near to Puerto Madryn

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