Emperor penguins and the First German South Polar Expedition, 1901–1903: The elusive colony in Posadowsky Bay

Abstract Members of the First German South Polar Expedition (1901 – 1903) encountered emperor penguins ( Aptenodytes forsteri ) near their wintering station in the sea ice of Posadowsky Bay, East Antarctica. The penguins appeared to be generally less of scientific interest, but more of a useful reso...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polar Record
Main Author: Wienecke, Barbara
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2021
Subjects:
General Earth and Planetary Sciences
Ecology
Geography, Planning and Development
East Antarctica
Posadowsky Bay
Antarc*
Antarctica
Aptenodytes forsteri
Emperor penguins
Polar Record
Sea ice
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247421000115
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247421000115
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Summary:Abstract Members of the First German South Polar Expedition (1901 – 1903) encountered emperor penguins ( Aptenodytes forsteri ) near their wintering station in the sea ice of Posadowsky Bay, East Antarctica. The penguins appeared to be generally less of scientific interest, but more of a useful resource. Despite the presence of chicks, the men were uncertain about the existence of a breeding colony, and did not record the position of the penguin aggregation they encountered. In later years, only a few sightings confirmed the existence of a colony, and the last ground visit took place in 1960. Based on satellite imagery, a colony appears to exist even now. This paper examines what impact the expedition may have had on this colony, and whether it still exists.

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