This is a close-up, wildlife, black and white photo in landscape format of a lone penguin walking through snow. Graham Land, Antarctica (2024).
To the left of centre is an adult Chinstrap Penguin (Pygoscelis antarcticus) viewed from the front, at near ground level and walking across the image diagonally from left to right. Our Penguin has a white front and black back. The birds flippers (wings) are white on the undersides with a thin black outline around the edges. The top of the Penguins head is black stretching from the top of the dark beak and above the eyes. There is a distinctive thin black stripe that starts at the back of the head, under the eye and beak and back up the other side: hence the name, Chinstrap Penguin. Surrounding our lone bird is a mass of well trodden (from other Penguins) thick snow, our penguin's large, pale and webbed feet, hardly visible as it hurries towards the sea.
Most adult Chinstrap Penguins range from 68-76 cm tall and weigh between 3.2 and 5.3 kg depending on the season. These penguins are generally considered the most aggressive and ill-tempered species of penguin though this colony seemed happy, sociable and good natured.
The location: The west coast of Graham Land on the Antarctic Peninsular.
