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Emperor penguins budget time for short rests on ice during chick-rearing season

Date:
November 21, 2012
Source:
Public Library of Science
Summary:
For the first time, researchers tracking the behavior of emperor penguins near the sea have identified the importance of sea ice for the penguins' feeding habits. The research describes emperor penguin foraging behavior through the birds' chick-rearing season.
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For the first time, researchers tracking the behavior of emperor penguins near the sea have identified the importance of sea ice for the penguins' feeding habits. The research, published November 21 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Shinichi Watanabe from Fukuyama University, Japan and colleagues, Japan describes emperor penguin foraging behavior through the birds' chick-rearing season.

Unlike other species like Adelie penguins, emperor penguins spent much more time diving for food, and only used about 30% of their time at sea to take short breaks to rest on sea ice. The birds did not travel for long distances on the ice, or use it for other activities. The study also suggests that these short rest periods on sea ice may help the penguins avoid predators such as leopard seals.

Though sea ice conditions are known to affect penguin populations, the relationship between ice levels and penguins' foraging has been unclear because of the difficulties of tracking the birds at sea. Watanabe says, "The monitoring technique developed in this study will help to understand the relationship."


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Journal Reference:

  1. Shinichi Watanabe, Katsufumi Sato, Paul J. Ponganis. Activity Time Budget during Foraging Trips of Emperor Penguins. PLoS ONE, 2012; 7 (11): e50357 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050357

Cite This Page:

Public Library of Science. "Emperor penguins budget time for short rests on ice during chick-rearing season." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 21 November 2012. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121121210255.htm>.
Public Library of Science. (2012, November 21). Emperor penguins budget time for short rests on ice during chick-rearing season. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 28, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121121210255.htm
Public Library of Science. "Emperor penguins budget time for short rests on ice during chick-rearing season." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121121210255.htm (accessed March 28, 2024).

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