Physiological toolkit to assess the health impacts on a Magellanic Penguin Spheniscus magellanicus colony located in a high-use touristic region of Patagonia, Argentina.

D'AMICO VL; BERTELLOTTI M

Marine Ornithology

Marine Ornithology

Año: 2019

1018-3337

We evaluated the health status of Magellanic Penguins Spheniscus magellanicus inhabiting a region in Peninsula Valdés (Patagonia, Argentina) subjected extensively by tourism. We compared individuals nesting along tour trails with others habiting non-touristic zones. Hematocrits and blood cell counts, glucose, cholesterol, total proteins, and heterophil/lymphocyte as stress indices were considered. The majority of parameters measured did not reflect impacts of tourism. Adults and chicks tested positive for bacterial pathogens in both the touristic and control areas. These data complement a long-term database of systematic physiological monitoring on penguins, becoming useful tools for future comparative analyses.