Breeding events of king penguin at the South Shetland Islands: Has it come to stay?

• Published in: Polar biology Vol. 40; no. 2; pp. 457 - 461
• Main Authors: Juáres, Mariana A., Ferrer, Francisco, Coria, Néstor R., Santos, M. Mercedes
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-02-2017; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aquatic life; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Birds; Ecology; Environmental conditions; Islands; Life Sciences; Marine environment; Microbiology; Oceanography; Penguins; Plant Sciences; Short Note; Zoology; Antarctica; Antarctica; Breeding site; Distribution; King penguin chick
• ISSN: 0722-4060; 1432-2056
• DOI: 10.1007/s00300-016-1947-5

King penguins (
Aptenodytes patagonicus
) have a circum-subantarctic range though recently, pairs breeding in Antarctica were reported. In a scenario of environmental variability as it is recorded in Antarctic Peninsula and adjacent islands, one ecological response registered in penguins was the shift in its distribution and breeding range probably due to the increment in the areas available to breed and/or feed. In the 2014–2015 season, the first king penguin chick was registered at Stranger Point (62°S. 25 de Mayo/King George Island), which remained alive until 5 months old. This record represents the southernmost birth of this species and the fourth consecutive breeding attempts in this site. This provides further evidence of a possible consolidation of a new breeding site at South Shetland Islands and thus the southward expansion of the bio-geographic range. Moreover, it suggests that both terrestrial and marine environmental conditions were favourable for king penguins, at least until the beginning of the crèche stage. Nevertheless, an increase in the number of breeding pairs is essential to ensure the survival of chicks and enable the colonization.