... as he took pictures of Antarctic glacier
A young explorer of the Antarctic quickly went from landscape photographer to wildlife warrior during a recent trip to the South Pole.Oliver Wheeldon - a 19-year-old from Oxford who is part of 2041, the Antarctic Youth Ambassador Program - was taking a photo of a glacier in Neko Harbor when suddenly a penguin in the distance spotted him.
As part of the Antarctic Treaty, which protects the continent as a land for scientific preserve, any vistors are not permitted to go within 25 meters from seals and five meters from penguins.
But if they approach you, everything is fine, as Wheeldon discovered.
Incoming: Not used to seeing humans hanging
around its home in Neko Harbor, Antarctica, this playful penguin comes
to inspect what's going on
Getting closer: Oliver Wheeldon, a young Antarctic explorer, could not believe his luck when this penguin kept approaching
Who are you? The penguin gets a good look at the 'thing' that has come into his neighborhood
And then he decides to get even closer ...
The Gentoo penguin has many predators in the
water - such as sea lions, leopard seals and orcas - but doesn't seem
to be fearful of humans
It is common for the curious animals of the area to interact.
With only scientists living in Antarctica and no native population, they are not aware of humans and become inquisitive.
Wheeldon, who is also a painter and takes photos for inspiration, said he had been lying still in the snow for some time when his little friend decided to come and say hello.
'Once they're there that's it, they can touch you but you can't touch them,' Wheeldon told The Mail Online.b'So if it's going to poo on you, its going to poo on you!' Fortunately, he made it out alright.
Wheeldon's work and adventures can be seen at his website, oliwheeldon.blogspot.com.
Snazzy: Oliver WHeeldon, 19, of Oxford, has been
obsessed with Antarctica since he was a child and has spent the past few
years working to understand and help conserve it
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