Further evidence of king penguins? breeding range extension at the South Shetland Islands?

JUARES, M. A.; NEGRETE, J; MENNUCCI, J. A.; PERCHIVALE, P. J.; SANTOS, M. M.; MOREIRA, E.; CORIA N.R.

ANTARCTIC SCIENCE

CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS

Lugar: Cambridge; Año: 2014 vol. 26 p. 261 - 262

0954-1020

King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus Miller; hereafter KP) is a circumpolar species that breeds on sub-Antarctic islands, between 458 and 558S. Although vagrant individuals can be found in the Antarctic region (south of 608), these sites are not included in the historic breeding range of the species (Williams 1995). However, Petry et al. (2013) reported a possible recent southward expansion of the KP breeding range. These authors consider that an increment in the number of breeding pairs observed on Elephant Island, South Shetland Islands (SSI) could occur as a consequence of global warming. In the Antarctic marine ecosystem, where a substantial environmental variability has been demonstrated in the global climate change context (Ducklow et al. 2007), shifts in distribution and breeding range of species are one of the main ecological responses (Gorman et al. 2010, McClintock et al. 2010). In this paper, we report the southernmost breeding attempt of a KP pair incubating at King George Island (Isla 25 de Mayo), SSI. Our observations contribute further evidence to reinforce the Petry et al. (2013) hypothesis.