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

• 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

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.