Magellanic penguins are unusual as they are one of the penguin species which burrows a nest rather than creating one out of rocks on the ground. They are considered near threatened due to human activity: climate change, oil spills, environmental disturbance, and overfishing. I had the chance to see a breeding colony on Hammer Island off the coast of Ushuaia, Argentina. Only one small boat was allowed to land and we had strict instructions on how to make our presence innocuous.