Flipping Brilliant

Patagonia’s Penguins at Risk from Proposed Coal Mine

2011-09-30T22:15:00.000-07:00

Last month Chile’s governmentapproved a controversial coal mine project in southern Patagonia’s Riesco Island, despite opposition from local residents and environmental groups, including Oceana.

Oceana presented a report to Chile’s environmental ministry outlining the threats facing mammals and birds in the region, including the area’s most emblematic seabird, the Magellanic penguin. The threats from the mine include heavy metal pollution (such as mercury), oil spills, and boat collisions with marine mammals.Patagonia’s Penguins at Risk from Proposed Coal Mine

Penguin People -Dee Borsema - Feather loss epidemic,

2011-04-14T20:27:00.000-07:00

Penguin chicks are facing a new threat – stunted growth or even death brought on by a mysterious feather-loss epidemic. A recently released report, co-authored by WCS scientist Dee Boersma, details the severity of this new disorder.

Donations are being sought by the WCS to fund research into this problem.

PLEASE SUPPORT THIS WORTHY CAUSE.

Penguin of the Day - Magellanic - Images by Jonathan Chester

PENGUIN PEOPLE - Gerald Kooyman - Emperor Penguin Researcher

2011-04-14T12:51:00.000-07:00

Friend and pioneering penguin researcher at the Scripps Institute, Gerald Kooyman, was interviewed by Discovery News about his work with the most amazing of all penguins.. the emperor.

For more than 30 years, he has studied the behavioral, physiological, and anatomical adaptations of antarctic marine animals. His work, both at Scripps and in remote field locations, has broadened scientific understanding of the specialized adaptations of these aquatic mammals and birds and how they live and survive on the coldest, driest, and windiest continent.
In recent years, Kooyman has focused on emperor penguins, and how they may be affected by global climate change. The causes and effects of global change continue to be hotly debated by scientists. Kooyman, however, approaches it from a different perspective."

"What really matters," he says, "is whether animal populations are increasing or declining. If they are declining, the question is why? What is the cause and are humans the responsible agents? If so, what can we do about it?

Penguin of the Day - Emperor - Images by Jonathan Chester

The Penguins of Punta Tombo featuring Dee Borsema

2011-04-07T17:44:00.000-07:00

Great new video featuring Dee Borsema who has worked on Magellanic Penguins for 28 years at Punta Tombo in Argentina with the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Magellanics, one of the four so called "ringed penguin species", live in colonies in temperate conditions found in southern South America and the Falkland Islands.

Penguin of the Day - Magellanic - Images by Jonathan Chester

WHY ARE PENGUINS LOSING THEIR FEATHERS?

2011-04-07T17:30:00.000-07:00

A new condition is causing many penguin chicks to lose their feathers, with some victims dying as a result of the mysterious problem, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society.

The condition, called "feather-loss disorder," appears to have emerged recently and is now affecting penguin colonies on both sides of the South Atlantic.

..... (Feather-loss disorder has been observed in African penguins, which inhabit the coast and offshore islands of South Africa. Credit: Nola Parsons)

A "naked" Magellanic penguin chick at Punta Tombo, site of the most important colony for the species. Credit: Jeffrey Smith)

BLOG: Punk Rock Penguins Protected

“Feather-loss disorders are uncommon in most bird species, and we need to conduct further study to determine the cause of the disorder and if this is in fact spreading to other penguin species,” Dee Boersma was quoted as saying in a WCL press release. Boersma has conducted studies on Magellanic penguins for more than three decades.

"We need to learn how to stop the spread of feather-loss disorder," she added, "as penguins already have problems with oil pollution and climate variation. It’s important to keep disease from being added to the list of threats they face."

Ship wreck and oil spill threatens Northern Rock Hopper Penguin

2011-04-03T04:30:00.000-07:00

The small community of the remote islands of Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic are struggling to cope with a massive oil spill from a Greek managed cargo ship that was wrecked on the coast of Nightingale Island. The 1500 tons of fuel and oil released is threatening the endangered Northern Rockhopper penguin population. Three hundred birds have already died.

Fellow penguinologist Dyan daNapoli has been following the tragedy closely. Dyan suggests:

"To make a donation to help save the oiled seabirds at Tristan da Cunha, visit The Ocean Foundation‘s website. Your donation to the Nightingale Island Disaster Penguin and Seabird Rescue Fund is tax-deductible, and will go directly to help the teams working to save the oiled seabirds at Nightingale Island, Tristan da Cunha and Inaccessible Island. There is also a link to this donation form on the Ocean Doctor’s website (Dr. David Guggenheim)."

Endangered Northern Rockhopper Penguins on Nightingale Island Affected by Extensive Oil Spill

2011-03-25T15:17:00.000-07:00

Nightingale Island, part of the remote Tristan da Cunha group in the South Atlantic, was hit on March 16th, 2011 by the MV Oliva, a freighter carrying soybeans from Brazil to Singapore. Over 800 tons of fuel oil was spilled onto the island's shores, poisoning the local population of endangered northern rockhopper penguins. I arrived on the site on March 23, 2011. This is what National Geographic photographer Andrew Evans reported..

Penguins truly are one of the feel-good animals.

2011-03-15T07:27:00.000-07:00

Penguins truly are one of the feel-good animals.

"But there is very little fun loving or playful about the lives of Adélies. They live in the most brutal environment in the world — on the brink of catastrophe at all times. They survive by running the behavior code embedded in their genes, which were laid down by countless successful generations before them."

Jean Pennycook, writing in the ANTARCTIC SUN

Jean Pennycook observes the Adélie penguins at Cape Royds on Ross Island, Antarctica. Pennycook is the education and outreach coordinator for a long-term research program on the penguin colonies around the Ross Sea led by David Ainley.

Penguin of the Day - Rock Hopper

2011-03-08T15:27:00.000-08:00

Penguin of the Day - Rockhopper - Images by Jonathan Chester

Rockhopper Eudyptes chrysocome (golden haired) is very noisy and quarrelsome bird, aptly named, Rockhopper, from its habit of bounding up quite steep rock strewn slopes with both feet together.

Theses tough penguins bear the nicknames “Rockies” or “Jumping Jacks” in the Falkland Islands. The smallest member of the crested penguins, the Rockhopper, is distinguished by having red eyes and the adults have a drooping yellow crest.
Immature birds have paler yellow eyebrows and lack the plumes.

Rockhoppers can rocket 1 mere (4 ft) out of the water when they make an exit from the sea and they can leap 30 centimeters (1 foot ) forward in a single bound - super penguin !. Males are generally larger than females and they nest in large colonies in caves on ledges and cliff tops often high above the waves.

On New Island, in the Falklands, a colony of some 3 million rockhoppers exists 200 ft above the sea. The rocks path way to the colony bare scars of thousands of years of erosion by ”rockies” sharp toenails. These high nesting sites are believed to be safer from seals. Rockhopper penguins may share their colonies with King Shags and Black-browed Albatross. They lay two large eggs, because the chicks need a lot of nourishment to develop on a nest of pebbles and grass - depending on what is available.

Rockhopper penguins face two threats on land, marauding birds and bad weather - high winds and rain squalls etc. A similar looking species to the Rockhopper, though with a more orange and bushy plume that meet on the font of its crown, is the Macaroni.

(from The Nature of Penguins. Jonathan Chester)

Penguin of the Day - Chinstrap

2011-03-08T11:14:00.000-08:00

Penguin of the Day - Chinstrap - Images by Jonathan Chester

The Chinstrap Penguin, Pygoselis antarctica, is the second of the brush-tailed genera ranging from 71 to 76 centimetres (28 to 30 inches) in length and weigh some 3.9 - 4.4 kilograms (8 1/2 to 91/2 pounds). Though similar in appearance to the Adélie Penguin they are slightly smaller and more aggressive.

They are named for the distinctive narrow band of black tipped feathers that extends from ear to ear under their chin, like the strap of a guardsman's helmet. Their diet is similar to that of the Adélie Penguin, and on the Antarctic Peninsula, they can often be found breeding side by side.

Chinstraps hatch later than the Adelie and Gentoos, but their growth rate is faster. The chicks do not form creches, likes other species, but stay by their nests. They are found mostly in the subantarctic, but there are also large colonies on the Antarctic Peninsula.

Chinstraps may be the most numerous penguin, with a population estimated at 12 to 13 million. They often select lofty sites that are the first to become snow free to ensure the maximum amount of time to raise their chicks.

(from The Nature of Penguins. Jonathan Chester)

Penguin of the Day - Magellanic

2011-03-04T10:37:00.000-08:00

Penguin of the Day - Magellanic - Images by Jonathan Chester

The Magallenic Penguin, Spheniscus magellanicus was first identified by Forster, James Cook’s naturalist, in 1781. The specific name “magellanicus” was given to honour Ferdinand Magellan, whose’ expedition in 1519 was the earliest to record this species.

Magellanics are easily distinguished from the other ringed penguins by a double black band across their chest, rather than a single band as in the other ringed species. With a length of 70 centimetres (27 1/2inches) and weighing 4 kilograms (9 pounds), this medium sized penguin is the largest of the Spheniscus genus Magallenic Penguins, are found on the southern portion of South America and the Falkland Islands.

The Falkland’s local name for them is the "Jackass" which is derived from its loud mournful braying call frequently uttered at the entrance to the burrow.

(from The Nature of Penguins. Jonathan Chester)

Penguin of the Day - Adélie

2011-03-04T08:39:00.000-08:00

Penguin of the Day - Adelie - Images by Jonathan Chester

Adélies are found all the way around the Antarctic continent and on neighboring islands, but they are rarely seen beyond the Antarctic convergence, the northern limit of the colder water. The Adélie is the classic “little man in evening dress”, though it is more like a cut away morning suit, than a typical tuxedo.

The Adélie’s most distinctive marking is a white ring around their eyes that beams out of an otherwise all black head. Adelies are not timid and will take on a 6 ft human who has strayed within their territory, as readily as another penguin. Having your leg pummelled by their tough flipper can result in a nasty bruise.

Adélie Penguins Pygoscelis adelie, one of the brush tail species, average 70 centimetres (28 inches) in length and weigh 3.7 to 4 kilograms (8 to 8 1/2 pounds). The designation Adélie comes from Adélie Land which was named by French explorer, Admiral Durmont d’ Urville in honour of his wife.

(from The Nature of Penguins. Jonathan Chester)

Penguin of the Day - Gentoo

2011-03-03T08:32:00.000-08:00

Penguin of the Day - Gentoo - Images by Jonathan Chester

Gentoo penguins Pygoselis papua, are slightly larger than Adélie and Chinstrap Penguins, standing 75 to 90 centimetres (37 to 30 inches) tall and weighing 6 kilograms (13 pounds). They can be recognised by their orange beaks and the flecked white marking above their eyes.

Gentoos are found right around the globe between 50° and 60° South, the scattered subantarctic islands, the Antarctic Peninsula being the southern most extent of their breeding range.

The origin of the name Gentoo is uncertain. One source suggests it is derived from the Portuguese “gentio”, a religious term meaning “not of the faith”, or gentile.

“Gentoo“ used to be a popular name in the 19th Century when it was used to describe Hindus in those parts of Anglo Indian society where Muslims predominated. The Hindus wear a white cotton cap and gentoos have a “white cap” - a band of feathers extending between the eyes across the top of the head.

Writer, Dianne Ackerman, suggests that the name Gentoo was the result of a ruse by: a British Museum man, who received a gentoo skin from an Antarctic explorer, thought it was a new species of bird, and decided to hide the information for a while. Later, he went off to Papua New Guinea, and when he returned, he described the bird as if it were one of the local species, naming it after the Gentoo, a religious sect on Papua New Guinea.

The scientific species name, papua originated from his description, lending credence to this explanation. (from The Nature of Penguins. Jonathan Chester)

Penguin of the Day

2011-03-02T12:24:00.000-08:00

Penguin of the Day - Images by Jonathan Chester

King Penguins are found predominately in sub-Antarctic waters and breed and moult on an arc of far flung islands from: South Georgia, Heard, Macquarie, Prince Edward, Marion, Iles Kerguelen, to Crozet Island and as far north as the Falkland Islands.

Polar Bears – On Thin Ice

2010-12-02T17:36:00.000-08:00

This essay first appeared in STAY COOL - A Polar Bear's Guide to Life by Jonathan Chester and Patrick Regan

The loss of an iconic species such as the polar bear is but a symbol of much larger and hugely significant changes that will occur in many ecosystems throughout the world if the climate continues to warm. For polar bears habitat loss is the most critical single concern… If the population of the planet is truly concerned about the fate of polar bears we need to collectively reduce greenhouse gas production significantly and quickly.

Dr Ian Stirling Senior research scientist for the Canadian Wildlife Service.

Dr Andrew E. Derocher, Professor of Biological Sciences University of Alberta, Canada

Polar bears are truly magnificent creatures completely at home in the frigid Arctic. They are the largest species of bear, the largest land predator and rank at the very top of the Arctic food chain. When standing erect mature males can reach up to nearly 9 feet, (3 meters), and are roughly twice the mass of females. Over the past 100,000 years these bears have evolved and adapted to thriving on and with the circumpolar Arctic sea ice. They are totally dependent on it for they major portion of their diet, for movement, resting and reproduction.

Today some 20,00 to 25,000 wild polar bears are estimated to live across the vast Arctic region in 19 discrete populations. In the past the polar bear habitat was relatively pristine, consequently the threat to polar bears came mostly from hunting and human development that was encroaching on the fringes their range. There was a sustainable balance in the traditional hunting practices of the Inuit that was upset with the introduction of rifles, hunting from aircraft and icebreakers. These changes saw polar bear numbers decline dramatically beginning in the 1930s. This accelerated in the 1960s with the advent of increased aerial hunting. In 1973 the 5 countries that border the Arctic the USA, Canada, Greenland/Denmark, Norway and the then Soviet Union made an historic agreement called The Conservation of Polar Bears that committed the parties to restrict hunting and protecting the bears habitat, denning areas and migration routes. As a result of these measures by the 1980s polar bear populations crept back to today’s levels.

While polar bears are not yet considered an endangered species, their future is far from certain. in 2006 they were added to the International Union of Conservation IUCN Red List and classified as Vulnerable on the basis of the projected affect global warming will have on the Arctic sea ice as determined by the IUCN Polar Bear Specialist group. This body of biologists and climate scientists forecast an overall decline in the total polar bear population of more that 30% in the next 30 to 50 years. The figures are constantly being revised upwards as new models are developed and studies are reported. There is some suggestion that the entire species will disappear by the turn of the century.

Today, in addition to the enormous effects of climate change, polar bears face unprecedented threats to their well-being in three main areas: increase pollution, oil and gas development and transport, hunting.

Being the top predator in the Arctic ecosystem pollutants become concentrated in the fat of polar bears with severely compromising reproduction and other biochemical pathways. They are building up to dangerously high levels as a result of the bears eating seals that are in turn contaminated by organic pollutants and toxic chemicals such as heavy metals, PCBs, radioactive elements and pesticides that the seal accumulate get from eating filter feeders lower down the food chain. The pollutants are very persistent and may well enter the environment far away from the Arctic, but be carried there by winds and ocean currents driving northward from more populated areas. Pollution affecting bears can also come from more local sources.

While development activities and industrial facilities associated with oil and gas exploration and extraction have been show to be tolerated relatively well by bear populations, oil spills pose a serious potential threat. Bears and their prey are at risk of direct exposure to oil in the event of a major spill.

Road’s and pipelines that are developed in support of oil and gas exploration and the opening up of shipping lanes, plus the inevitable encroachment of human settlement, military activities and growing tourist industry will result in more face-to-face confrontation between polar bears and humans. While polar bears are curious and generally fearless and they can do major damage to property, they do not typically attack humans unless a female bear is protecting her cubs or the bears are starving.

Some places like Churchill in Manitoba, Canada have been able to capitalize on their proximity to areas where large numbers of bears gather in the fall waiting for the ice to form on Hudson Bay. Since the 1970s an increasing flow of adventurous tourists are drawn to the self proclaimed “Polar Bear Capital of the World” where they are able to see polar bears in large numbers from the relative comfort, safety and security of so the called tundra buggies. These oversized rugged buses riding on giant tires ensure that humans are out of reach of the very hungry polar bears with minimal impact on the fragile tundra ecosystem. The town of Churchill itself has to contend with the ever-present threat of bears wandering into the built-up areas and rangers patrols the streets during the fall polar bear season. Wherever possible bears that stray into the city limits are trapped and contained in the “polar bear jail” until sufficient ice is formed on Hudson Bay when they can be safe relocated and are unlikely to return. In certain circumstances especially when there is a female with cubs, or the jail is full, bears will be relocated by helicopter some distance north.

Occasionally bears are shot in self-defense but in some parts of the Arctic particularly in traditional communities bears are still harvested as part of a subsistence traditional lifestyle but in the Russian arctic there is little to no monitoring of hunting and poaching is prevalent. While much of the traditional hunting of polar bears by local communities was sustainable, it is now believed that more recent tag limits have been based on erroneous population estimates and that the indigenous quotas do not take into consideration the effects of climate change on population reduction.

Global warming is affecting all aspects of life and the ecology of the Arctic. Studies have shown that air temperatures have increased sharply over much of the Arctic region in recent decades. Records show there has been a 5 degree C ? degree F rise in the last 100 years. Overall sea ice cover in summer has declined by 15% to 20% over the past 30 years. 2007 was the least amount of summer ice on record and subsequent summers have only shown a modest improvement. Looking ahead the US geological survey models suggest that the preferred habitat, the sea ice cover on and near the continental shelf will decline by almost 70%during spring and summer towards the middle of the century.

With sea ice has been breaking up earlier in the spring and freezing later in the fall this lengthens the time the bears must fast. Most experts now believe that the decline in Arctic sea ice could result in the loss of two thirds of the polar bear population within the next 50 years. There is growing evidence that global warming is affecting polar bear populations through increased death rates from drowning, cannibalism and fasting. Of the 19 recognized populations studies have shown that 8 are declining in numbers, I is increasing 4 are stable and there is not enough data about the remaining 6 to be able to make any assessment either way.

As a result of this alarming situation various governments around the world and especially those boarding the Arctic have been taking action individually and in co-operating, notably the USA, Canada, Greenland, Norway and Russia. Some positive steps have been taken but there is much more to be done. There is increasing pressure to ban the trade in polar bear artifacts, claws, hides and skulls. The mechanism for this is the up listing of polar bears from the “regulatory” Appendix II to the “prohibited” Appendix 1 in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and of Wild Fauna and Flora (C.I.T.E.S.)

Under pressure from the pubic and non-profit groups like The Center for Biological Diversity, the US government has also been taking steps to protect polar bears and manage new realities of the warming world. In May 2008 the US Department of the Interior listed polar bears as threatened under him under the Endangered Species Act because of decreasing sea ice. In October 2009 the Department of Interior also announced it planned to designate 500,000 km² (128 million acres) of Alaska’s north coast as “critical habitat” This encompasses the entire range of several Alaskan bear populations numbering 2500 individuals and we protect the bears ice habitat as well as barrier islands. While this measure does not address the underlying problem of habitat loss due to global warming, it’s does represent a positive step recognizing the need to manage areas in the Arctic where bears currently still exist. More work needs to be done to increase the international legal protections for polar bears as their ranges cross many national boarders.

These government steps all need popular support to be created and enacted. There are a number of other organizations that are focused on educating people about the plight of polar bears and offer information and resources as a way of providing legislators and policymakers with the necessary scientific information to make important decisions. Polar Bears international is solely focused on education and funding scientific research but other global NGOs such as the World Wildlife Fund and Defenders of Wildlife and the David Suzuki Foundation also have extensive campaigns focused on the Arctic and polar bears We all need to take greater responsibility for our contribution to the problem of increased greenhouse gases and try and minimize our carbon footprint. Small personal actions modifying how daily routines to be more energy efficient from the way we eat, cool and heat our houses, transport ourselves, and consume all manner of resources. When added together across millions of people can make a significant contribution. Ensuring that our politicians and policymakers are also making informed decisions on behalf of our country is also equally important, as this is a global problem. It requires leadership, the burden of which falls squarely on developed nations given that have the resources, technology and are, per head of population, some of the worst offenders in terms of output of greenhouse gases in the first place.

So will polar bears sink into oblivion in decades to come only to be found in Zoos their or will they survive to hunt and thrive in renewed icy arctic. We are all part of the problem but we can also be part of the solution.

Polar Bears International

http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/

World Wildlife Fund

http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/polarbear/polarbear.html

Defenders of Wildlife

http://www.defenders.org/programs_and_policy/wildlife_conservation/imperiled_species/polar_bear/index.php

Center for Biological Diversity
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/mammals/polar_bear/index.html#

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature IUCN/SSC Species Survival Commission Polar Bear Specialist Group

http://pbsg.npolar.no/en/index.html

Important new book Fraser's Penguins

2010-11-29T09:08:00.000-08:00

Fen Montaigne's book Fraser's Penguins has been published but it is worth reprising his articl e and slide show from the New Yorker as well, which gives a great summary of the problems that Adelie Penguins suffer in the fast warming region of Palmer Station on the Antarctica Peninsula. Fen is also credible spokes person for the wider global warming issues facing the Antarctica which he outlines in his article from Yale's Environment 360 where he is senior editor.

Most Penguin Populations Continue to Decline, Biologists Warn

2010-09-18T11:27:00.000-07:00

ScienceDaily (Sep. 9, 2010) — Penguin biologists from around the world, who are gathered in Boston the week of September 6, warn that ten of the planet's eighteen penguin species have experienced further serious population declines. The effects of climate change, overfishing, chronic oil pollution and predation by introduced mammals are among the major factors cited repeatedly by penguin scientists as contributing to these population drops. Prior to the conference, thirteen of these penguin species were already classified as endangered or threatened. Some penguin species may face extinction in this century.

GPS - Global Penguin Society

2010-09-12T17:58:00.000-07:00

A new organization has been created to focus attention on the fragile status of the worlds penguin populations. The Global Penguin Society - GPS's website was launched at the 7th world penguin conference by Argentine biologist, Garcia (Popi) Borboroglu.

"The Global Penguin Society is dedicated to the survival and protection of the world´s penguin species, fostering integrated ocean conservation through science, management and community education. GPS está dedicada a la conservación de pingüinos".

"Global Penguin Society was launched in 2009 with a Pew Fellowship to Popi Borboroglu, a scientist based in Puerto Madryn, Argentina. The society will develop and advocate solutions for sustainable marine activities and management, drawing on penguins as charismatic, keystone species."

Penguin Cartoon collection

2010-09-12T17:39:00.001-07:00

I came across this great collection today of Randy Glasbergen's penguin cartoons. You may recognize some of them, but seeing them all together is a treat.

I was exposed to some of these images again at the 7th World Penguin Conference that just wrapped up in Boston. Needless to say 200 scientists, zoo and aquarium professionals and other assorted "penguinologists" made for a fascinating week. Much more on this to follow in the next posts.

The Penguin Project

2009-04-21T06:41:00.000-07:00

Wildlife Conservation Society biologist P. Dee Boersma has been studying Magellanic penguins in, Argentina for twenty-five years through The Penguin Project. Recently dubbed the Jane Goodall of penguins, she has documented a 22 percent decline in the Punto Tombo colony since 1987. This and other similar reports of declines across the Southern Hemisphere have resulted in the IUCN giving the Magellanic and eleven other of a total of seventeen species of penguins the status of “near threatened.” Changes in the availability and abundance of prey due to both climate change and exploitation of the Magellanic’s food sources are at the root of its problems.

P. Dee Boersma’s Penguin Project can benefit greatly from your concern and interest. Field research in such far-off places is challenging and expensive. You can show penguins a little love by donating and supporting her research.

Penguin Science - NSF funded Research

2008-04-23T12:44:00.000-07:00

Penguin Science is a website and free DVD (except for shipping) that contains some tremendous HD footage of scientists led by Dr. David Ainley studying Adelie Penguins in the Ross Sea region of Antarctica. Sponsored by the US National Science Foundation this work was also featured on Wild Kingdom as "Return to Penguin City" in March 08. No doubt it will be back on the TV soon

"Like animals everywhere, Antarctic penguins are adjusting, or not, to changes in their habitat brought by warming temperatures. With extensive field research on their existing colonies, and a 30,000 year-old record contained in deposits of their bones, we know more about how Antarctic penguins will adjust to rapid climate change than almost any other creature on Earth."

Endangered Penguins -

2008-04-22T19:17:00.000-07:00

The 6th World Penguin Conference was held in Hobart, Tasmania back in September 2007. These gatherings are only held every 4 years so the pronouncements from this assembly of 170 the world's penguin scientists from 13 countries are still very current. Of the 17 recognized species of penguins 12 are on the current World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red list of threatened species.

The solitary yellow-eyed penguin found in New Zealand and its off shore islands to the south is one of the most endangered mostly due to loss of its forrest scrubland breeding habitat and predation. The Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust is working hard to restore coast forest and control predators.

Galapagos penguins, and erect-crested penguins, are also classified as endangered while African penguins, and Fiordland crested penguins are considered vulnerable. Many of the species that are not directly threatened by loss of habitat or food supply are affect by global warming and this particularly applies to the Antarctic species the Adelie, chinstrap and emperor penguins.

The Adelie is the most studied penguin as it is a so called indicator species. It's breeding success or other wise can shed light on the state food supply namely the krill which are very much more difficult to monitor. As such this species is often referred to as the "canary in the coal-mine" of Antarctica. Radar tracking of their foraging pattens using time depth sensor that can also be interrogated when they return to the nest reveals how much effort was expended in each fishing expedition, where they went and how deep they dived.

Flipping Brilliant is now on sale

2008-04-17T04:32:00.000-07:00

Flipping Brilliant is the first of a series of gift books planned to show off penguins in new and interesting ways. As well as an opportunity to explore my archive of thousands of penguin images, it also a showcase for the writing talents of humorist, Patrick Regan. I have made penguins the focus of many books over the years including the: Nature of Penguins and my best selling A for Antarctica, plus the children's board book Busy Penguins. My penguin posters Penguins of the World and Penguins of Antarctica are also still in print. But reaching a broad audience is always challenge for writers and nature photographers. At last I have been able to find the right collaborator for a work that shares life lessons that we can deduce from the ways of the ever endearing penguins.

My First Penguin

2008-04-16T09:28:00.000-07:00

My passion for penguins has evolved over four decades. Growing up in South Australia I was exposed to what we then called, fairy penguins, but they were hard to see as they were restricted to a few off shore islands and they are also nocturnal. During the day they hide away in rock crevices to escape predators. I have a few shots from those very early days ... long before I was interested in photography.

There is one very famous place in the world to see wild Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor) as they are more properly now called. The Penguin Parade at Phillip Island in Victoria, Southern Australia is experienced by thousands of visitors every evening. also have one of the world's best visitor centers and a penguin research and education program. While Little Penguins come ashore year round at this location the numbers can vary depending on the month as it relates to their breeding cycle.

Flying Penguins !!

2008-04-01T11:32:00.000-07:00

It a little known fact that penguins literally "fly" under water using there flippers to propel themselves. (Most other diving birds use their feet as paddles). April 1 there was a stunning video from the BBC about penguins flying in air.