Foraging strategies of male Adélie penguins during their first incubation trip in relation to environmental conditions

• Published in: Marine Biology
• Main Authors: Cottin, M, Raymond, B, Kato, A, Amelineau, F, Le Maho, Y, Raclot, T, Galton-Fenzi, B, Meijers, A, Ropert-Coudert, Y
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Springer 2012
• Subjects: Earth Sciences; Oceanography; Biological Oceanography; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Pygoscelis adeliae
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-012-1974-x; http://ecite.utas.edu.au/78256

Knowledge of habitat use by top marine predatorsin response to environmental conditions is crucial in thecurrent context of global changes occurring in the SouthernOcean. We examined the at-sea locations of male Adeliepenguins ( Pygoscelis adeliae ) breeding at Dumont dUrvilleduring their first, long incubation trip. Compared with thechick-rearing period, penguins performed longer trips, goingto oceanic waters as far as 320 km from the colony. Weobserved 3 strategies: (1) five individuals covered large distancesto the north, targeting open-ocean areas and followingthe currents of two persistent eddies; (2) five individualsforaged to the north-west, close to the Antarctic shelf slope atthe limit of the pack ice; and (3) three individuals coveredmuch shorter distances (northwards or eastwards). The foragingrange also seemed to be limited by the body conditionof the penguins before their departure to sea.