Nilmini De Silva, Intrepid Travellers (September Theme: Travel)

Paulet Island is home to a colony of over 200,000 Adelie penguins, and it is the sounds and smells of the Adelie’s that greet me as I stumble up the beach. I am taken aback at the black and white landscape—a sea of penguins! Located off the northeastern end of the Antarctic Peninsula it is the volcanic activity under the surface generates geothermal heat that enables life to thrive here. The colony was a hive of activity. The males and females share the parenting duties, feeding the chicks regurgitated krill and keeping them warm and safe from predators such as skuas. It was such a privilege to be there and witness this.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.