Annual variations in plasma retinol and alpha‐tocopherol levels in gentoo and rockhopper penguins

• Published in: Zoo Biology
• Main Author: Monroe, Allen
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1993
• Subjects: Eudyptes crestatus; Pygoscelis papua
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/zoo.1430120507; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fzoo.1430120507; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/zoo.1430120507

Abstract Blood samples were taken throughout the year from captive gentoo Pygoscelis papua (n = 5) and rockhopper Eudyptes crestatus (n = 10) penguins to measure seasonal variations in retinol and alpha‐tocopherol levels. Retinol levels ranged from .58 μg/ml to 1.09 μg/ml and alpha‐tocopherol levels from 30.8 μg/ml to 50.7 μg/ml for the gentoo penguins. The rockhopper penguins' retinol levels ranged from .63 μg/ml to 1.14 μg/ml and alpha‐tocopherol from 22.3 μg/ml to 40.8 μg/ml. Changes in body mass were used as an indicator of the start and duration of feather moult. Food consumption was recorded daily for the year, and the vitamin A and E intake was calculated. Blood vitamin levels of penguins on a supplemented diet were similar to those in the wild. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.