So these little guys are pretty cute. They live along the South Coast of Australia as far east as Sidney and as far West as Portland. (Any farther past these points, and the warmer waters become rife with nasty predators!) They are only 12-13 inches tall and weigh no more than 3-4 pounds.
The big touristy thing on Philip Island is the “Penguin Parade”. You pay your money, walk through an educational centre and a gift shop to two huge sets of concrete bleachers on the beach. You sit and wait under the field lights for just past sunset. Out from the waters waddle groups of Little Penguins with tummies filled with fish. You watch them and giggle as they trundle past the bleachers through to their nesting grounds (like little football players walking post game to their locker rooms!, Kind of…with ridiculously short legs, maybe.)
So, it’s mating season for Fairy Penguins…and the Park Rangers warn us that we may see “highly animated” behaviours. And we do! When the last groups pass the bleachers, you can walk along low lit boardwalks and watch them head into the beach grasses and tussocks. Penguin Parade my ass! Try Penguin Orgy! Full on animal copulation!
Here are some of my favourite quotes verbatim from the evening:
Sachiko’s friend: “Sachiko! Loook!”
Sachiko: “Oooooh…so funny!”
Aussie gramma commenting on loud penguin cries of ecstasy: “Well! SHE sounds like she’s having a good time!”
Bloke #1: “Hey! They do it that way too!”
Bloke #2 (nudging his girlfriend) “Yeeeaah good!”
Aussie mom to small child: “No darling. They’re not fighting.”
Serious! I am NOT making this stuff up!
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