"Sea Lion Island" Top 5 Page for this destination Falkland Islands Travelogue by zweiblumen

Sea Lion Island is the southernmost inhabited island in the Falklands Archipelago, it is quite small being less than 10km long by 2km wide but it probably has the greatest concentration of wildlife in one area you can find.

I spent two nights on the island in 2001 and 3 nights there in 2004 plus I made a daytrip there by helicopter in June 2004. I saw so much wildlife, it will always be the one of the most exciting places on earth for me.

Striated Cara Cara, Falkland Islands

The Johnny Rook or Striated Cara Cara is an extraordinarily tame bird of prey that seems to have little or no fear of humans. It has a reputation for being a bit of a thief and you leave things lying about in it's presence at your peril.

I had been given a mascot to take with me on my travels down South, the idea of which being that I was to take photos of it in "typical" Falklands locations (i.e. with Penguins in the background). Having discovered not one but two of these quite rare birds wandering amongst the Elephant Seals (the birds were I mean .. not me .. I wasn't that brave!) I thought it might make for a good picture if I placed said mascot (which happens to be a child's doll) in front of the Johnny Rooks.

Well I did just this got the mascot (called "shirley") placed on the ground in front of the two Johnny Rooks and focused my camera upon them. No sooner had I released the shutter the inevitable happened .. in a sudden blur the nearest Johnny Rook grabbed "shirley" in it's talons and made off with her down the beach in the direction of the Elephant Seals .. with me in hot pursuit shouting "Stop thief!" or words to that effect. Now no way was I going to go racing in among the seals to retrieve a doll! Fortunately the bird dropped her before he reached the seals and I picked her up and popped her back into my rucksack shaking with laughter .. it must have looked a very comical sight .. but I learned a valuable lesson .. never get your doll out in front of a Johnny Rook .. it's asking for trouble!

Johnny Rooks attack my rucksack

Or leave things lying around when there are Johnny Rooks about! This was June 2004 and the pair tried to trash my rucksack, this was after I had fed them half my packed lunch (you are not supposed to feed them by the way as it encourages them to mug humans for food!)

Magellanics by the pond

Just a short walk from Sea Lion Lodge where I was staying were a series of sand dunes. Hiding among the Tussac Grass were numerous Magellanic Penguins. Magellanics live in burrows like rabbits.

Elephant Seal, Falkland Islands

I discovered this colony of Elephant Seals by accident, I was busy photographing some Magellanic Penguins when out of the corner of my eye, down the beach what I took previously to be large boulders .. began to move!

Creeping closer I saw them for what they were, Bull Elephant Seals that had hauled themselves up onto the beach to moult. The sight and sound of these magnificent creatures will live in my memory for ever more .. great hulking beasts clashing chests with each other and letting out the most amazing deep belching roars. I managed to get quite close by ascending a low bank just above the seals from where I could observe and photograph them.

Angry Skua! Falkland Islands

Just beyond the Lodge at Sea Lion Island were a pair of nesting Skuas. I discovered them when I went for a walk along a path across a small field towards the beach. As I was walking I noticed to the left of me a pair of large brown birds fly up from the the grass about 50metres away. For a moment I thought nothing of it until I saw that one of them was heading straight towards me at head height, the next thing I heard was a loud squawk, I ducked and the Skua passed over my head with just millimetres to spare. Seconds later it's partner attacked me from the rear, same as before a squawk and the draught of it's flapping wings unnervingly close to my head.

On my last day on Sea Lion Island I decided I would try and goad the Skuas into attacking me so I could get a picture of it. Yes daft idea I know! Nevertheless I tried it out. I walked tentatively down the path and sure enough to the left of me a shape flew up from the grass and started towards me, I got my camera ready and this is the result. It's a bit indistinct because I couldn't focus the camera quickly enough but it gives you an idea of what it's like. For a really enthralling description of what it's like to be attacked by LOTS of Skuas at the same time you should read "Antarctic Odyssey" by Graham Collier & Patricia Graham Collier (1999) .. I got off lightly!

Falkland or South Polar Skua

Skuas are not only very protective of their own nesting areas but also of "their" penguin colonies. Skuas will steal eggs and new born chicks from penguin colonies but will defend the colony from raids by other birds.

zweiblumen, Falkland Islands

An hour before I was to fly back to MPA.

Sleeping Elephant Seal

Best not to disturb him!

Elephant Seal

In February 2004 I paid my 2nd of three visits to Sea Lion Island, staying 3 nights there. I was able to get a lot closer to the seals than I had 3 years previously, I think because I was less intimidated by them this time!

Fighting Elephant Seals

This photo was taken on my second visit to Sea Lion in February 2004 (as was the main photo of the Elephant Seal top of this page).

Southern Right Whale

In February 2004 at around 5:30am I decided to get up and walk to the beach. I had heard that there had been a pod of Killer Whales seen most mornings around that time. The Orcas would cruise up and down the South shore waiting for unwary sealion or elephant seal pups to enter the water. I had never seen a whale before, I'd always been in the wrong place at the wrong time and to be honest I didn't think this day would be any different.

I picked my way through the penguins, all the time my eyes trained on the sea in front, the elephant seals were obviously early risers too as they were making quite a noise. Suddenly from the left I saw five distinct tall fins above the water .. there they were! They were making their way East along the shoreline and I too moved that way along the beach. It was then that I saw a large tail rise out of the sea 200 metres away from me .. this was followed by the head and a large spout of water. Unbelievable .. another whale! This one was far larger than the Orcas however, this was a Southern Right Whale, it seemed to be in some sort of distress and from what I could see it was being harassed by the Orcas, they would swim around it and then one would head straight for the larger whale. I don't know if contact was made but it was certainly annoying the right Whale who was blowing and thrashing his tail quite vigorously.

The following day I again rose at an unearthly hour and again watched the pod of Orcas, no Right Whale around to be seen though. The whales were having an effect on the elephant seals, no seal would enter the water while the orcas where around, I watched as one huge seal followed the progress of the whales with his eyes, not until they had left did he enter the sea.