Penguin Watch Talk

Highest elevation of penguin nests

  • AvastMH by AvastMH moderator

    Alex asks how high our penguins nest. On experience of these pictures, and from a details I spotted one day (but cannot find just now) I think it's about 100 metres. Can anyone help with this detail please?
    Alex is 7 years old.😃

    Posted

  • AvastMH by AvastMH moderator

    A bit of research found this information about Gentoos:

    From : The Animal Diversity Web URL: http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Pygoscelis_papua/

    Gentoo penguins typically are found along the shoreline. This allows the penguins to be able to quickly access food while remaining close to their nest. They prefer elevations close to 115 meters above sea level along the shore because the snow in these areas tends to melt first. The higher the altitude, the decreased likelihood of nest-flooding as the snow starts to melt during the summer. The terrain in these areas is also flat which helps to stabilize their nests. Gentoo penguins prefer north-facing locations for nesting, which is thought to be linked to absorbing solar radiation. The main feature of gentoo habitats is the prevalence of small pebbles, typically under 5 centimeters in diameter. These pebbles are the main building blocks in creating a sufficient nest to hold the eggs during breeding season.

    
    I hope this helps Alex!  Not every bit of coast has a useful path leading up to 115 metres, so perhaps these pengiuns have had to settle for a lower nesting site. 
    
    You can see that the Adelies and Chinstraps and Gentoos have mixed colonies in some of our pictures. The King Penguins live quite close to sea level though.
    
    THANK YOU for all your help with counting the penguins! 
    
    Joan (AvastMH)

    Posted