The Falklands

Off the Beaten Path

© Enrique Aguirre/Enfoque10

Every Austral summer millions of sea birds come to shore to nest, raise their chicks and moult their feathered coats. One of the chosen spots for this spectacle of nature is Falklands, a remote archipelago, infamous for hosting one of those senseless acts of “human nature” that we call war. 

The over 700 islands come alive every October, as the inhospitable Austral winter ends. Thousands of sea lions and elephant seals, millions of birds, and recently a few humans, occupy beaches, cliffs and meadows. Abundant wildlife includes five nesting penguin species: the elegant king, the cute and curious gentoo, the comical rockhopper, the crested macarronis, and the loud magellanic or jack-ass as they are locally known for their call that resembles that of a donkey. 

Wildlife leaves for the winter, to feed at sea, driven by the forces of nature that still manage to control some parts of this planet. The question is, will they still find somewhere to return to? On the Falklands they probably will…

 Enrique Aguirre