SGER: Effects of B15 on Breeding Success of the Cape Crozier Emperor Penguin Colony

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0224957PonganisThis project will investigate the effects of the iceberg, B-15, on the emperorpenguin population at Cape Crozier. The population of this southernmost of emperorpenguin colonies, although sometimes fluctuating radically, had steadily grown in pastyears, with as many as 1200 chicks counted. This probably represented an adultpopulation of 2400-3000 birds. However, in 2001, after B-15 ground into the CapeCrozier area during the winter breeding period, no live emperor chicks were found. Thecolony had disappeared. The goal of this project is to determine if the colony will re-establish itself at Cape Crozier or relocate nearby to a different site. If the colonyreestablishes at Cape Crozier, we will estimate the previous year's loss with a census ofthe chicks present this year. The destruction of the colony site by the iceberg in 2001represents a natural experiment to examine the resilience of breeding emperors to shortterm disasters. Broader impacts of this study are related to the historical importance andworldwide interest in this colony as it was the first emperor colony discovered, and hasprobably the longest census record of any penguin colony.