Punta Tombo

Penguins at Punta Tombo, Chubut.
A pair of Magellanic penguins protecting their nesting burrow

Punta Tombo is a peninsula into the Atlantic Ocean 110 km (68 mi) south of Trelew in Chubut Province, Argentina, where there is an important colony of Magellanic penguins. It is found a short distance north of Camarones. The 2.1 km2 (0.8 sq mi) Punta Tombo Provincial Reserve has been protected since 1979, according to provincial decree, and it is one of the main tourist attractions in Chubut. Punta Tombo is part of the new marine national park at Golfo San Jorge.

The 3 km (1.9 mi) long, 600 m (1,969 ft) wide peninsula is covered with sand, clay and gravel. Between September and April, a large number of Magellanic penguins come to this site to incubate their eggs,[1] and prepare their offspring for migration - the largest such colony in South America. Couples stand in front of their nests, protecting the eggs from birds and other predators, and occasionally one adult goes to the sea for food. Other wildlife encountered in the area including sea birds (mainly seagulls, chimangos and cormorants), rheas and guanacos. In late September, with the arrival of spring, Magellanic penguins migrate from Southern Brazil to Patagonia, congregating by the thousands to nest in Punta Tombo.[2] Other important nearby colonies are Bahía Camarones and Cabo Dos Bahías.

In the 19th Century, British mariners knew Punta Tombo as "Tombas".[3]

See also

Citations and references

Citations
  1. ↑ C. Michael Hogan (2008) Magellanic Penguin, GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg
  2. ↑ (Spanish) http://www.clarin.com/diario/2007/09/21/sociedad/s-04001.htm Clarin newspaper - Punta Tombo penguin trek
  3. ↑ Clayton (2014), Glossary of place names
References

External links

Coordinates: 44°02.4′S 65°12′W / 44.0400°S 65.200°W