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The effects of human disturbance on Magellanic Penguin Spheniscus magellanicus behaviour and breeding success

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2010

Pablo Yorio  and
P. Dee Boersma
Pablo Yorio
Affiliation:
Wildlife Conservation International, The Bronx Zoo, New York 10460, U.S.A.
P. Dee Boersma
Affiliation:
Institute for Environmental Studies and Department of Zoology, FM-12, University of Washington, Seattle WA 98195, U.S.A.
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Summary

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Magellanic Penguins Spheniscus magellanicus along the Patagonian coast, Argentina, are increasingly exposed to human activities, especially to a growing tourist industry. We quantified the effects of human visitation and disturbance on the behaviour and breeding of Magellanic Penguins. Nesting penguins differed in their response to human approach, allowing a significantly closer approach before responding with threat and defensive displays in the tourist area than in areas rarely visited by people. When approached during incubation, no penguins abandoned their nest. Breeding success and fledgling weights were similar in the tourist area and non-tourist areas. Magellanic Penguins appear to be tolerant of human visitation, and penguins breeding in the tourist area become accustomed to people walking among their nests. We suggest visitation may be compatible with penguin reproduction if visits are controlled.

El Pingüino de Magallanes Spheniscus magellanicus de las costas patagónicas de la Argentina, esta expuesto a las crecientes actividades humanas, especialmente el aumento de la demanda turistica. Se han cuantificado los efectos de las visitas y molestias del hombre en el comportamiento y reproducción de la especie. Los pingüinos mostraron diferencias en su respuesta frent a la proximidad humana, permitiendo un acercamiento signifi-cativamente mayor antes de responder con actitudes defensivas en áreas frecuentadas por los turistas en comparicion con aquellas rara vez visitadas. La proximidad humana durante la época de incubación no supuso en ninguna ocasión el abandono de nidos. El éxito reproductive y los pesos de los jóvenes al abandonar el nido resultaron similares en a l zona turística y en la menos frecuentada. El Pingüino de Magallanes parece tolerar la presencia del hombre, y aquellos que nidifican en el área turistica se habitúan a los visitantes que caminan entre sus nidos. Sugerimos que las visitas pueden ser compatibles con la reproducción de la especie siempre y cuando las mismas estén controladas.

Type
Research Article
Information
Bird Conservation International , Volume 2 , Issue 3 , September 1992 , pp. 161 - 173
Copyright
Copyright © Birdlife International 1992

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