Applications open for Penguin Post Office in Antarctica, and one applicant expresses her passion with tattoos

Applications are open for Antarctica’s famous “Penguin Post Office”.

The successful applicant will be “self-motivated,” “empathetic” and in the habit of taking a bath every two weeks.

The store in Port Lockroy, the world’s southernmost post office, often smells like penguin droppings.

Per year, Antarctica The Heritage Trust receives a large number of applications for the position. This year, three positions are available and are open to UK residents only.

In addition to processing up to 80,000 letters and postcards each year, employees must run the store and handle approximately 18,000 cruise ship passengers.

One of the applicants is charity manager Katie Shaw ManchesterDesperate to go, she had an accurate map of Antarctica tattooed on one leg and a portrait of explorer Ernest Shackleton on the other.

“I’ve wanted to be a marine biologist working in Antarctica since I was a kid,” Ms. Shaw said.

“Academically it didn’t work out, but I always found the wildlife, scenery and exploration there interesting.

“This continent is so important to the environment and it feels like a place that we haven’t completely screwed up yet.

“Every year we’re less and less likely to enjoy it and appreciate it.”

Successful applicants will need to possess a range of skills. Employees must sort mail, sell stamps, tend the building and run the gift shop. They must endure basic living conditions and be content with their own company.

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The application form warns people to pay attention to hygiene:

“There is no running water on the island, so washing facilities are very rudimentary. Water is collected in plastic buckets from visiting boats.

“There are no shower facilities in Port Lockroy so staff are expected to live comfortably with these limited washing facilities while still maintaining a high level of hygiene.

“Visiting ships provide showers approximately once a week, but when weather conditions are not favorable you can go up to two weeks without visitors or showers.”

Staff also need to count the approximately 1,500 gentoo penguins at the Port Lockroy colony.

Vacationing in Antarctica is expensive. Ms Shaw estimates the cost of a two-week cruise to the area will exceed her annual mortgage payment.

There are also concerns that growing tourism in Antarctica is damaging fragile ecosystems.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Antarctic visitors have even caused penguin species to change their reproductive and social behavior.

This makes post office jobs more attractive to applicants.

“There are only three ways to truly visit Antarctica: work at a research base, travel on elite tours or apply for a post office,” Ms Xiao said.

Applications for the season starting in November and ending in March 2024 will close on March 18.