The Popular Volunteer Point
Volunteer Point is one of the most popular and important tourist destinations in the Falklands. The site is a cornucopia of bird activity, home to king, gentoo and Magellanic penguins – as well as waterfowl and endemic subspecies like the dark-faced ground tyrant, Falkland pipit and thrush. In 2006/07, Falklands Conservation counted approximately 750 adult king penguins and 550 chicks, making Volunteer Point the largest, most accessible king penguin colony in the world outside of South Georgia.
Volunteer Beach itself is a beautiful white sandy beach, approximately 2km long, and is where many of the penguins can be seen entering and leaving the ocean. Magellanic penguin burrows line the shore; visitors need to tread with care to avoid the unintentional collapse of the homes of these birds. During the summer a warden resides on-site to ensure that tourists abide by the Countryside Code and do not interfere with sensitive breeding birds like the King Penguins.