Only those who have been there and experienced it can truly understand what it's like.
I will try to describe it to you as best as I can, but I encourage everyone who has the opportunity to experience it firsthand.
A little bit of context: Phillip Island is an island of about 100 square kilometers southeast of Melbourne, approximately a two-hour drive from the city. It is a popular vacation spot for Australians and is also visited by tourists.
Phillip Island Nature Parks is the organization responsible for managing and conserving the natural areas of the island.
The island is rich in biodiversity to study and protect, including mammals like koalas, opossums, and wallabies, as well as a wide variety of seabirds. At the western end of the island, at Seal Rocks, there is a population of 20,000 Australian fur seals. During the southern winter, from May to September, some species of cetaceans (whales) pass through this area during their annual migration.
But undoubtedly, the stars are the little blue penguins (Eudyptula minor). The largest colony of this species in the world is right here on Phillip Island, with over 30,000 individuals!
Standing at an average height of 30 cm, the little blue penguin is the smallest of all existing penguins and, as its name suggests, is the only blue and white penguin.
In nature, colours are never random but always serve a specific purpose: in this case, they ensure perfect camouflage for ocean waters. The dark blue back hides them from above in the dark deep waters, while the white belly confuses predators attacking from below against the light.
The breeding season starts in the southern spring and continues throughout the summer, from September to March. Penguins make monogamous pairs and care for their eggs and chicks in burrows among rocks and vegetation on the beach.
During this time of year, adults spend most of their days at sea hunting for fish, leaving before dawn and returning after sunset in small groups to reduce the risk of predation along the way.
The island's main attraction is a beautiful example of ecotourism: buying a ticket allows you to closely observe the penguins' return home while supporting the organization's research on the species. There is a designated path, which you must stay within, guiding you to the viewing stands on the beach. Staff members explain the rules to ensure everyone's safety and avoid disturbing the penguins, including a strict no-photo policy. The flashlights disturb and scare the penguins, interfering with their natural behaviour.
To continue conservation work, it is very important to engage the public through emotionally impactful experiences like this to raise funds. However, it is essential that rules are strict and respected in these areas to ensure human impact is minimized.
Imagine being seated with dozens of other people just meters from the sea, at sunset, eagerly waiting for the small groups of penguins returning to their nests after a long day of fishing.
One of the most incredible experiences I've ever had!
I don't have photos or videos to document what it was like, and if the experience was so beautiful, it’s probably because of that.
Nowadays, we are obsessed with capturing every single moment to show others, but when this is not an option, the only thing left to do is to live and enjoy what is happening.
Watching the penguins emerge from the darkness of the sea and run to their nests, listening to their calls as they communicate, thinking about the distance they’ve travelled and the dangers they’ve faced in the ocean was a tremendous emotion!
I assure you that being there without filters and with all five senses fully engaged is so intense that it cannot be conveyed through a video. My only souvenir is a postcard I bought at the visitor centre shop, another small contribution to their research and a beautiful memory for me.
However, I don’t need a photo to tell the experience, I remember every detail thanks to the sensations I lived through.
I invite you to disconnect every now and then and enjoy what is happening around you. It doesn’t need to be an extraordinary event; you can discover incredible moments even in everyday situations!
If you like, share an experience you’ve fully lived in the comments below!
Commenti