Penguins in Australia?

Daniel, Scott and I also drove to Phillip Island to see the Penguins. The Little Penguin (Eudyptula Minor) is only found in Southern Australian waters. At 33 cm in hieght, the ink blue bird is the smallest of all the 18 known species of penguin and is unique in that they wait until sunset before coming ashore. First one arrives, then another and they waddle up from the beach in groups, rather than individually (there's safety in numbers and occasionally one gets spooked and hauls ass back to the ocean only to wait for another group to form). It takes a while. They get knocked down SEVERAL times (like bowling pins) by waves. Usually it takes about 6 attempts before they are successful. The gathered crowd cheers!

Unfortunately, we didn't know that you weren't allowed to take pictures of this event. So here are some pictures that will have to do:

A key chain I bought at The Phillip Island Nature Park Gift Shop:






















A picture I took of a post card I bought at the Phillip Island Nature Park Gift Shop:

















An "interesting" vehicle we saw in the parking lot of the Phillip Island Nature Park:















Though unrelated to the visit to The Phillip Island Nature Park, another picture of more wildlife... a shark. The only one we've seen up close: