Rockhopper Penguin (Image credit: Flickr user Marcus Borg)For
several hundred years, human activity on the Falkland Islands
-roughly 300 miles of the Argentine coast- threatened its
penguins' survival. But the trend started to reverse in 1982,
when Argentina and Britain began duking it out for control of
the Falklands. Turns out, a war, a few landmines, and some
unstable diplomatic relations might have been just enough to get
the penguins back on track. The Falkland Islands are small.
Collectively, the 200-plus islands that make up the Falklands
are only about as big as Connecticut. But through the years,
they've managed to inspire some Texas-sized international
contention. Ever since Argentina gained independence from Spain
in 1816, it's been vying for control of the Falklands in one
form or another. Some Argentines even claims possession of the
region today, even though Queen Elizabeth's face graces every
piece of currency, the Union Jack appears on the official flag,
and every other government in the world