Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-f46jp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-10T04:19:37.661Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Airdrops and king penguins: a potential conservation problem at sub-Antarctic Marion Island

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 October 2009

John Cooper ,
Nico L. Avenant  and
Peter W. Lafite
John Cooper
Affiliation:
Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7700, South Africa
Nico L. Avenant
Affiliation:
Department of Botany and Genetics, University of the Orange Free State, PO Box 339, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa
Peter W. Lafite
Affiliation:
Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7700, South Africa
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Evidence for the disturbance of king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) and other seabirds at sub-Antarctic islands by fixed-wing aircraft making airdrops is reviewed. Based on direct observations of panicking birds at king penguin colonies at Marion Island as Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft flew past, it is postulated that the incident at Macquarie Island in 1990 when many king penguins were found dead shortly after a flypast was most likely caused by panic induced by the aircraft's passage. Visits by fixed-wing aircraft to sub-Antarctic islands should be kept to a minimum and no airstrips should be built on them. Specific recommendations are given for fixed-wing aircraft visits to Marion Island, in order to reduce disturbance to king penguins and other seabirds to the absolute minimum. These recommendations should be adopted at all sub-Antarctic islands.

Type
Articles
Information
Polar Record , Volume 30 , Issue 175 , October 1994 , pp. 277 - 282
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1994

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anonymous. 1990a. Three airdrops planned for Macquarie Island. ANARE News 61: 21.Google Scholar
Anonymous. 1990b. Penguin deaths at Macquarie Island. ANARE News 62: 13.Google Scholar
Anonymous. 1990c. Penguin deaths. ANARE News 63: 24.Google Scholar
Anonymous. 1992a. Macquarie Island Nature Reserve Management Plan. Hobart: Department of Parks, Wildlife and Heritage.Google Scholar
Anonymous. 1992b. To the rescue. Ecollage. House Journal of the Department of Environment Affairs 1 (6): 2.Google Scholar
Clark, M.R., and Dingwall, P.R.. 1985. Conservation of islands in the Southern Ocean: a review of the protected areas of Insulantarctica. Gland, Switzerland: International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.Google Scholar
Cooper, J., and Headland, R.K.. 1991. A history of South African involvement in Antarctica and at the Prince Edward Islands. South African Journal of Antarctic Research 21: 77–91.Google Scholar
Culik, B., Adelung, D., and Woakes, A.J.. 1990. The effect of disturbance on the heart rate and behaviour of Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) during the breeding season. In: Kerry, K.R., and Hempel, G. (editors). Antarctic ecosystems. Ecological change and conservation. Berlin: Springer-Verlag: 177–182.Google Scholar
Heymann, G., Erasmus, T., Huntley, B.J., Liebenberg, A.C., Retief, G. De F., Condy, P.R., and van der Westhuysen, O.A.. 1987. An environmental impact assessment of a proposed emergency landing facility on Marion Island. South African National Scientific Programmes Report 140.Google Scholar
Hunter, S. 1991. The impact of predator-scavengers on king penguin Aptenodytes patagonicus chicks at Marion Island. Ibis 133: 343–350.Google Scholar
Pedder, T. 1990. Investigation into the probable cause of a stampede of king penguins at Lusitania Bay, Macquarie Island Nature Reserve. Unpublished report for the Department of Parks, Wildlife and Heritage, Hobart.Google Scholar
Rounsevell, D.E., and Binns, D.. 1991. Mass deaths of king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonica) at Lusitania Bay, Macquarie Island. Aurora. ANARE Club Journal 10(4): 8–10.Google Scholar
Rounsevell, D.E., and Copson, G.R.. 1982. Growth rate and recovery of a king penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus, population after exploitation. Australian Wildlife Research 9: 519–525.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sladen, W.J.L., Boyd, J.C., and Pedersen, J.M.. 1966. Biotelemetry studies on penguin body temperatures. Antarctic Journal of the United States 1: 142–143.Google Scholar
Sladen, W.J.L., and Leresche, R.E.. 1970. New and developing techniques in Antarctic ornithology. In: Holdgate, M.W. (editor). Antarctic ecology, vol. 1. London: Academic Press: 585–596.Google Scholar
Swithinbank, C. 1993. Airborne tourism in the Antarctic. Polar Record 29 (169): 103–110.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thompson, R.B. 1977. Effects of human disturbance on an Adélie penguin rookery and measures of control. In: Llano, G.A. (editor). Adaptations within Antarctic ecosystems. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution: 1177–1180.Google Scholar
Wilson, K.-J., Taylor, R.H., and Barton, K.J.. 1990. The impact of man on Adélie penguins at Cape Hallet, Antarctica. In: Kerry, K.R., and Hempel, G. (editors). Antarctic ecosystems. Ecological change and conservation. Berlin: Springer-Verlag: 183–190.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilson, R.P., Culik, B., Danfeld, R., and Adelung, D.. 1991. People in Antarctica: do Adélie penguins Pygoscelis adeliae care? Polar Biology 11: 363–370.CrossRefGoogle Scholar