Mortality and breeding failure of little penguins, Eudyptula minor, in Victoria, 1995 - 96, following a widespread mortality of pilchard, Sardinops sagax
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Published:2000
Issue:4
Volume:51
Page:355
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ISSN:1323-1650
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Container-title:Marine and Freshwater Research
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language:en
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Short-container-title:Mar. Freshwater Res.
Author:
Dann Peter,Norman F. I.,Cullen J. M.,Neira F. J.,Chiaradia A.
Abstract
In May 1995, numbers of little penguins,
Eudyptula minor, coming ashore declined at Phillip
Island and St Kilda concurrently with deaths of many penguins in western
Victoria and a massive mortality of one of their food species (pilchard)
throughout southern Australia. Among 1926 dead penguins reported were 131
banded birdsrecovered from Phillip Island (86% adults and 14%
first-year birds), 26 from Rabbit Island and six from St Kilda. The number of
banded penguins found dead per number of adult Phillip Island birds at risk
was 2.3% in 1995 compared with an annual mean of 0.7% for
1970–93. Of 29 corpses autopsied, at least 26 died of starvation
associated with mild–severe gastro-intestinal parasitism. Following the
pilchard mortality, egg-laying by penguins in the subsequent breeding season
(1995–96) was ~2 weeks later than the long-term mean and 0.3 chicks were
fledged per pair compared with the long-term mean of 1.0. Unlike previous
years, few penguins were recorded in Port Phillip Bay in
September–October 1995, a period when pilchard schools were infrequently
seen. It is concluded that the increase in penguin mortality in northern Bass
Strait and the significant reduction in breeding success were associated with
the widespread pilchard mortality.
Publisher
CSIRO Publishing
Subject
Ecology,Aquatic Science,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics,Oceanography
Cited by
73 articles.
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