Wildlife

This post will be dedicated to the fantastic wildlife that we are currently getting some of which can be a hindrance to work but it is always spectacular.

Birds,

We get lots of different sea birds but the most iconic, of course is the penguin. We mainly get Adelie penguins round here who are very inquisitive and will often call back to you if you imitate them.

Adelie penguins

Adelie swimming

The largest bird we get is the southern giant petrel or more affectionately known as GP they have a wingspan of 2m and often soar past the boats flying low over the waves.

Giant Petrel

Antarctic shag on a rock

Seals
There are five main seals here at Rothera. The smallest are fur seals they are a lot like Labradors very excitable but too cute to be scary (until they start chasing you!).

Fur seal

Next in size is the crab eater seal. It doesn’t eat crabs but instead feasts on krill they sometimes travel in pods as many as eight together.

Crab eater seal (credit Jenny Douglas)

Weddell seals look like a typical seal big dark round eyes and a very large belly they stay around all year even when the sea ice covers the bay. Consequently, they usually pop up in the dive holes that are cut into the ice to get a breath of air.

Weddell seal with a skua

During summer adolescent elephant seals haul themselves up onto the base where they stay until they’ve moulted they are very smelly and create a lot of mess.

Elephant seals squeezing onto the wooden bridge on base

Last on the list is the leopard seal. Leps are true predators, with surprising agility for their size (adults are over 3m long). Because they are an apex predator we don’t dive when they are in the water nearby.

Leopard seal this one we found back in january it was well over 3m (credit Theresa Murphy)

Whales

Lately we have been getting lots of whales. With close encounters of both orca and humpbacks. Being on a boat less than 10m away from such magnificent animals is spectacular. The following photos were all taken on the same morning, we were out on the boats sampling but became a little bit distracted by orca and humpbacks... (thanks for the photos JenDoc!)

Orca going past while getting the boats ready to go out

Humpbacks visiting the guys out on Nimrod

Humpback

baby orca

we can count 11 orca in this single shot

This was taken earlier in the month Simon and I had been diving South Cove when Orca swam past the entrance to the cove we were immediately recalled to the surface where we followed them round the bay. Thanks to Steve for taking this great shot from the wharf

One of the best things to see on base, apart from the wildlife, is seeing people get excited by wildlife! If whales are seen close to the wharf an all stations is put out on the radios and within minutes people will be running from all over base to see the spectacle. Although the best place to watch is on the boats, something that always feels special.