Cuverville Island & Neko Harbor

Dec 30, 2018 - National Geographic Orion

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Currently in the process of molting, this juvenile elephant seal uses a cone to scratch and relieve itself during this unpleasant phase.

Today, we explored Cuverville Island and Neko Harbour, located in the heart of the Gerlache Strait. The morning excursion ashore on Cuverville Island allowed us to visit the numerous colonies of Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua). These small but curious birds were busy nurturing numerous eggs, soon to hatch. Later in the afternoon, we hiked a small part of a mountain overlooking Neko Harbour, where we were greeted by more Gentoo penguins and sights of a calving glacier. Some of us even enjoyed some improvised tobogganing.

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About the Author

Josh McInnes

Naturalist

Josh is a Canadian ecologist who grew up on Vancouver Island British Columbia, Canada. He studied marine biology and ecology with a focus in marine mammals, food web, and community dynamics at the University of Victoria.

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