Patagonian Pics. --- Some examples of Wildlife from the Gulf of Valdez.

[Gottshotz]

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" Snooty Neighbours " --- Guanaco always seem to have a supercilious look about them --- they are related to camels, but live in South America, and live in the wild like Vicunas. The similar looking Llamas and Alpacas , however, are domesticated and were probably bred from Guanacos. All are herbivores and their wool is greatly prized. ISO 800 @ 220mm. f7.1 1/640 sec..Heat haze. All shots in this set taken with D7000 and Tamron 70-300mm. Handheld. 20/09/15.

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"Lift Off" --- Southern Right Whale breaching in the Gulf. This area is the most important in the world for calving females. They were called "Right" whales because they were easy to kill and this earned them this macabre moniker ! The resident zoologist on board reckoned this specimen to weigh around 40 tonnes. ISO 250 @70mm. f4, 1/1600 sec..

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"Bashfull" --- Magellanic Penguins are native to South America, inhabiting both Atlantic and Pacific coasts around the Patagonian tip--also found in the Falklands. Black and white areas act as counter shading which makes them less visible to predators from above and below. They can drink sea water due to a suborbital gland which filters out excess salt. Named after the Spanish explorer, Ferdinand Magellan, who sailed around this area in 1520. ISO 800 @70mm. f7.1, 1/1250sec..

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"Lazy Bones" --- Southern Elephant Seal, this large male was approx 15 feet long and probably weighed around the 3 tonne mark. Males commonly weigh at least 7--8 times the weight of the much smaller females. Their main food are squid and they have been known to dive to 2000 metres and can hold their breath for 2 hours. Numbers are recovering from extensive hunting for their seal oil ( made by boiling up their blubber ) during the last century before the advent of electric light e.g. London used 20,000 tonnes of seal oil per year to light the city ! ISO 280 @70mm. f4, 1/800 sec..

 

[Callie]

Man, this is So nice, exceptional sightings

 

[Yezdi]

Awesome series of shots

 

[PhilM]

Super set, not only the images, but comentary as well. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Hawkeshead]

Great capture of the local wildlife.

 

[Gottshotz]

Man, this is So nice, exceptional sightings

Thanks Callie --- we got lucky this trip and had exceptional local guides.

 

[Charlie Lasswell]

Beautiful shots! Judging by the focal length, you must have been able to see the wildlife fairly close up.

 

[Kathy G]

Wonderful shots and commentary

 

[Gottshotz]

Awesome series of shots

Thanks Yezdi --- I thought these images from a relatively remote corner of the world might be of interest ---- getting pictures of the breaching whale was certainly
a very exciting moment !

 

[Gottshotz]

Super set, not only the images, but comentary as well. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks PhilM ---- I think some background facts, especially about lesser known or unusual animals, help to better appreciate their roles within the ecosystem !

 

[Gottshotz]

Great capture of the local wildlife.

Thanks Hawkshead ---- it was a long trip to get these shots (amongst otherss) from Belfast, but well worth it !

 

[Gottshotz]

Beautiful shots! Judging by the focal length, you must have been able to see the wildlife fairly close up.

Thanks Charlie --- yes your'e right, the Guanaco happened to be passing by, the penguins, unused much to humans, were unfazed and the Elephant seal was asleep. The best bit of luck was the Right whale breaching close to the boat !

 

[Gottshotz]

Wonderful shots and commentary

Thanks Kathy G --- I am certainly no David Attenborough ( he stayed once at my parent's house, whilst on a lecture tour ) but I do believe some background info adds meaning to the animal in the shot .