SUMMARY
Wildlife photographer Romain Barats documented gentoo penguins at the former Hektor whaling station on Deception Island, a site abandoned in 1931 after extensive whaling operations. The image highlights the contrast between the industrial relics and the returning wildlife. Barats' photograph, showing the penguins near the rusting structures, has been selected as a finalist in the Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 competition's Conservation (Impact) category.
TAKEAWAYS
Gentoo penguins photographed among ruins of a 1931 Antarctic whaling station.
Image by Romain Barats is a finalist in Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026.
The photo contrasts industrial past with wildlife reclaiming the area.
The Hektor station operated from 1912 to 1931 on Deception Island.