Noah Strycker from Stony Brook University pointing out a Chinstrap penguin colony on Elephant Island, South Shetlands, Antarctica.Elephant Island is home to one of the world’s largest Chinstrap Penguin populations but the scientists conducting the census finds the number of chinstrap penguins on Elephant Island has dropped almost 60% since the last survey in 1971. Penguins main source of food is krill and the warming waters have reduced the sea ice and the phytoplankton that krill depend upon.
Penguin scientist Noah Strycker, from Stony Brook University counting Chinstrap penguins on Elephant Island, Antarctica.An observer must count every single penguin nest, one by one, and repeat the count three times within a 5% margin to ensure accuracy. It’s often easiest to find a high point with a good view, and use landmarks (like rocks and other terrain features) to visually divide up large chunks of birds.
By mid-January, most Chinstrap Penguin nests have large, fluffy, gray-colored chicks. If all goes well, a pair of penguins will raise two chicks that fledge (become independent) in February or March.
Lead scientist Steven Forrest from Stony Brook University counting chinstrap penguins on Elephant Island, Antarctica.
Elephant Island is home to one of the world’s largest Chinstrap Penguin populations but the scientists conducting the census finds the number of chinstrap penguins on Elephant Island has dropped almost 60% since the last survey in 1971. Penguins main source of food is krill and the warming waters have reduced the sea ice and the phytoplankton that krill depend upon.
Elephant Island is home to one of the world’s largest Chinstrap Penguin populations but the scientists conducting the census finds the number of chinstrap penguins on Elephant Island has dropped almost 60% since the last survey in 1971. Penguins main source of food is krill and the warming waters have reduced the sea ice and the phytoplankton that krill depend upon.
Elephant Island is home to one of the world’s largest Chinstrap Penguin populations but the scientists conducting the census finds the number of chinstrap penguins on Elephant Island has dropped almost 60% since the last survey in 1971. Penguins main source of food is krill and the warming waters have reduced the sea ice and the phytoplankton that krill depend upon.
Notepad of penguin scientist Noah Strycker, from Stony Brook University.
Elephant Island is home to one of the world’s largest Chinstrap Penguin populations but the scientists conducting the census finds the number of chinstrap penguins on Elephant Island has dropped almost 60% since the last survey in 1971. Penguins main source of food is krill and the warming waters have reduced the sea ice and the phytoplankton that krill depend upon.
Elephant Island, Antarctica.
Most chinstrap penguins live in sub Antartica islands and can live up to 20 years. They mostly live with the same pair during their entire lives and return to the same place where they were born to nest.
Penguin scientists Noah Strycker and Alex Borowicz from Stony Brook University at Elephant Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica.
A skua flying over a chinstrap colony on Snow Island, South Shetlands, Antarctica.
Alex Borowicz, population ecologist from Stony Brook University counting penguin populations in Antarctica.
Chinstrap penguin colony in front of a glacier on Elephant Island, Antarctica.
Elephant Island is home to one of the world’s largest Chinstrap Penguin populations but the scientists conducting the census finds the number of chinstrap penguins on Elephant Island has dropped almost 60% since the last survey in 1971. Penguins main source of food is krill and the warming waters have reduced the sea ice and the phytoplankton that krill depend upon.
Low Island, Antarctica.
Scientists Yang Liu and Vikrant Shah from Northeastern University count the chinstrap population with the help of a drone and then uses machine learning to do automated count of penguin colonies in Antarctica.
*This picture was taken in 2020 during the Antarctic leg of the Pole to Pole expedition under the Dutch permit number RWS-2019/40813
Just as for chinstrap penguins Antarctica’s Albatross and Petrel populations are in sharp decline, unable to adapt to the changes in their habitat.
Penguin scientist Steven Forrest from Stony Brook University climbing up a rock to count chinstrap penguin nests, to collect data about the population, on Anvers Island in the Antarctic.
Elephant Island, South Shetlands, Antarctica.
In summers Leopard Seals hang our around penguins colonies waiting for the parents to go fishing and can eat as much as one penguin every hour. During the rest of the year they will eat krill. Penguin skin is hard to break so Leopard Seals shake them to get the meat out. The majority of of the penguin chicks will unfortunately not survive their first year of life, but those who do have a great chance of living up to 20 years old.
Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) breaching surface while feeding in Palmer Archipelago, between Anvers Island and the Antarctic Peninsula. Antarctic krill provide a vital food source not only for the penguins but also for whales, seals and ice fish.
A fur seal resting on a cliff under a glacier on Brabant Island in Antarctica. The West Antarctic Peninsula is one of the fastest warming areas on Earth, with only some areas of the Arctic experiencing faster rising temperatures.
Iceberg in front of a glacier on Low Island, Antarctica.
The West Antarctic Peninsula is one of the fastest warming areas on Earth, with only some areas of the Arctic experiencing faster rising temperatures.