Population trends of the Southern Rockhopper Penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome chrysocome) at the northern limit of its breeding range: Isla Pingüino, Santa Cruz, Argentina

PATRICIA GANDINI; ANA MILLONES; ANNICK MORGENTHALER; ESTEBAN FRERE

POLAR BIOLOGY

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2016

0722-4060

During the last century, there has been a steadydecline in the global breeding population of Eudypteschrysocome chrysocome, and this species has been exposedto many different threats. However, the small breedingpopulation of Isla Pingu¨ino, Argentina, increased since itsdiscovery in 1985 until 1990. To determine whether thispopulation continued to grow, we assessed its trend over a30-year period and estimated its breeding success. Thisstudy shows a strong increase in the population in IslaPingu¨ino with an annual growth rate of more than 7 %,throughout the 30-year study period. The threats that areaffecting seabird populations in other areas seem to haveno negative effects on this breeding population. In particular,tourism, which has grown exponentially during thesurvey period, appears to not have had a negative effect onthe settlement of new pairs, the number of breeding pairsand their breeding success. We suggest that the populationincrease in Isla Pingu¨ino might have been facilitated by animmigration of breeding adults from nearby breeding sitessuch as Falkland Islands (Malvinas).