"Macaroni penguins usually forage in small groups," Bost explained, adding that they often call to each other and "can dive synchronously when foraging." Previously it was thought penguins subsisted on Antarctic krill during this inter-breeding period, but the tracking and blood tests indicate the birds instead chow on Subantarctic krill and the crustacean Parathemisto gauchidaudii. During the winter months, the penguins dove deep into the water column to get their fill. The world population of Macaroni penguins has declined over the past 20 years, so scientists are hopeful that identifying key feeding areas will lead to better conservation tactics in the future. Top marine predators, such as the Southern elephant seal, appear to favor the same central Indian Ocean feeding spot valued by the penguins. Rory Wilson, director of Swansea University's Institute of Environmental Sustainability and the School of Environment and Society, pioneered the use of geolocators on penguins in the early 1990s. Wilson told Discovery News he was struck by how the new approach used smooth plastic leg rings for attaching the sensors to the penguins, therefore placing "the device behind the bird, where, during swimming, drag effects are minimized." David Gremillet, head of the CEFE-CNRS Spatial Ecology Group, called the new paper "an essential contribution to the conservation of a valuable penguin species." "What is always striking is the vastness of the areas these aquatic athletes visit during the inter-breeding period, and remember, they cannot fly," Gremillet added. "The worrying thing, of course, is how on Earth we'll manage to protect such immense areas to ensure the conservation of Macaroni penguins." Related Links: |
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