First observations of emperor penguins on Horseshoe Island, Antarctica

• Published in: Polar Research
• Main Authors: Sinan Yirmibesoglu, Burcu Ozsoy
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Norwegian Polar Institute 2023
• Subjects: aptenodytes forsteri; sea ice; antarctic peninsula; maguerite island; moult; ice-dependent species; Environmental sciences; GE1-350; Oceanography; GC1-1581; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarctic Peninsula; West Antarctica; Horseshoe Island; Antarc*; Antarctica; Aptenodytes forsteri; Emperor penguins; Polar Research; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v42.9556; https://doaj.org/article/485ac5d658764402ac0b45be1efa4b51

This note reports observations of two moulting emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) on Horseshoe Island, West Antarctica, during the Seventh Turkish Antarctic Expedition in February 2023. This is the first time this species has been documented on this island. Emperor penguins largely depend on fast-ice to breed and moult. The Antarctic Peninsula hosts few emperor penguin colonies. Horseshoe Island has become one of the northernmost points along the western Antarctic Peninsula where emperor penguins are documented to moult.