MAGELLANIC PENGUIN
In 1979, the province of Chubut created a 21 ha reserve in Punta Tombo, 181 km from Puerto Madryn, in order to protect Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus).

Here one finds one of the world's most diverse colonies of sea birds, plus the main continental penguin colony outside the Antarctic. It has a population of over 500,000 birds in the months from September to April.

The penguins create their nests under bushes, in caves and in the open. The caves are found most frequently in the beach areas where the soil is easier to dig; they return year after year to the same nesting spots.

The males are usually larger than females and have stronger and longer beaks. Both partners defend their nest and take turns brooding and feeding the chicks with fish and squid.

Most of their life is spent in the ocean, where they can even sleep. In winter they can swim up the coast to Ro de Janeiro (Brazil), on a 3,000 km voyage.

They are able to swim constantly at 8 km per hour, using their fins to propel themselves and their feet as rudders. During February, thousands of overgrown molting youngsters can be photographed on the beach.

Marine predators such as the giant petrel and the killer whale lurk on the shoreline waiting to feed themselves on young and sick penguins.

ORCA (KILLER WHALES)
Orcas (Orcinus orca) are mammals which belong to the order of the cetaceans. In contrast with other whales, they have teeth. They may be seen in Chubut between February and April and from October to November.

They most frequently come into view in Punta Norte, Caleta Valds and Golfo San Jos, on the Valds Peninsula.

They are evenly black, with a white belly and a characteristic back fin showing a white spot behind it that is an individual identification feature.

Their length ranges between 8 and 9.5 m. Males weigh 9 tons and females around 5. They propel themselves using their commanding tailfin, balancing and changing direction with their pectoral fins when feeding along the seashore.

They are wrongly taken to be ravenous predators (so-called "Killer Whales") due to their feeding habits that include not only fish but also other mammals such as sea lions, sea turtles, seals, sharks and even penguins.

This creature hunts for food and shares its catch with its family. They may be said to be politically correct.

SOUTHERN ELEPHANT SEALS
Pennsula Valds offers guests the chance to view southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) without having to travel to remote island areas, because this is the only continental colony of the species.

The southern elephant seal has sub-Antarctic distribution, with an estimated population of 700,000 individuals, of which 20,000 arrive at Pennsula Valds between August and March to mate and molt.

This animal belongs to the seal family, and is different from other pinnipeds due to the absence of the outer ear, and because their lower limbs are pointed backwards, forcing them to drag themselves on land.

The males have an enormous proboscis (like an elephant's trunk) on their snouts, and are much larger than females, reaching 5 m in length and weighing up to 3 or 4 tons. The females only reach about 3 m in length and weigh less than a ton.

The pups when born weigh 45 kg and are pitch black, but become gray after 23 to 30 days of suckling and quickly gain weight to around 250 or 300 kg. Elephant seals are very polygamous macho-like animals.

By late August, the first males turn up to form their harems. The females disembark on the coast at the beginning of September, giving birth to a pup on average 5 days later.

During lactation the mothers fast and consume the fat stored in their bodies. After they finish suckling their young, elephant seals have to feed out at sea for two months to recover their weight.

They seek their food at an average depth of 400 m, and have been known to dive to 1,500 m while hunting. Elephant seals spend 90% of their seagoing life under water. After December, they return to the coast to molt for five months.

SOUTHERN SEA LION
The southern sea lion (Otaria flevescens) is a species distributed throughout the South American Atlantic and Pacific coastline, from south Brazil up to Per, and is commonly seen during the whole year on Valds Pennsula.

This is a pinniped that belongs to the otter family; it can walk on land using its front and back fins.

The dark brown males will be distinguished from the females by their mane, reaching 2.3 m in length and weighing up to 350 kg. The females only measure 1.8 m and weigh around 100 kg.

The pups, which are born from late December to late January, are black. They bleat like lambs and weigh around 13 kg. After suckling for a year, they almost double their weight.

The sea lions have a short migration cycle between Golfo Nuevo and Pennsula Valds. In mating season, males go to Punta Pirmides, near Puerto Pirmides and Punta Norte. Outside mating season, from April through November, they may be seen at other locations.

One of the most important of these is the Punta Loma seal colony (provincial reserve), located 17 km from Puerto Madryn. The juvenile, non-reproducing adults live in this colony all year round, and are joined in April by the ones migrating from Puerto Pirmides.