Almost six million Adelie Penguins
are living in East Antarctica, more than double the number previously thought,
scientists have announced, in findings that have implications for conservation.
Research by an Australian, French
and Japanese team used aerial and ground surveys, tagging and resighting data
and automated camera images over several breeding seasons, which allowed them
to come up with the new figure.
They focused on a 5,000 kilometre
(3,100 mile) stretch of coastline, estimating it was home to 5.9 million birds
- some 3.6 million more than previously thought. On this basis, they estimate a
likely global population of 14 to 16 million.
Before, population estimates only
took into account breeding pairs, said Australian Antarctic Division seabird
ecologist Louise Emmerson.
"Non-breeding birds are
harder to count because they are out foraging at sea, rather than nesting in
colonies on land," she said.
"However, our study in East
Antarctica has shown that non-breeding Adelie Penguins may be as, or more,
abundant than the breeders.
"These birds are an
important reservoir of future breeders and estimating their numbers ensures we
better understand the entire population's foraging needs."
Adelie Penguins, slick and
efficient swimmers, live on the Antarctic continent and on many small,
surrounding coastal islands. They spend the winter offshore in the seas
surrounding the pack ice.
No comments:
Post a Comment