Sea ice - Crucial habitat
Emperor penguins depend on sea ice to breed and feed – as do krill, the tiny shrimp-like crustaceans that fuel the Antarctic food web.
But last August, when the emperor chicks hatched, the sea-ice extent was at a record-breaking low. We think this might have resulted in less and poorer-quality food during the chicks’ crucial first month of life, which delayed their growth.
This means some weren’t ready to fledge at the usual time.
Monitoring environmental changes
As ocean temperatures rise, the sea-ice that emperors depend on might not freeze for long enough for them to successfully raise chicks.
Our work involves closely monitoring colonies year after year to see how they’re coping with changes in their environment, which in turn will help to secure a future for these Antarctic icons.
- Benjamin Dupuis, Marine Predator Researcher, Dumont d’Urville Research Station.
Followed the reproduction of 70 nests
Penguins were monitored daily to know the laying date, hatching date, breeding success and chick growth. 61 chicks reached 40 days old among the 70 nests.
First time loggers have been used in the Port-Martin colony
The expedition was the first time data loggers have been deployed in the area.
60 adult penguins had loggers put on to record their foraging behaviour at sea. Information from loggers on adults in incubation and chick rearing represents almost a year of tracking data and around 15,000km of cumulated distance.
2023 saw breeding success for 2,150 chicks
In 2023, 4,500 couples laid an egg and 2,150 chicks made it to the sea.
Monitoring of the emperor penguins' colony was carried out throughout the Austral winter. 300 chicks were tagged for long term study.