Pygoscelis papua

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	SPHENISCIFORMES	SPHENISCIDAE

Scientific Name:

Pygoscelis papua

Species Authority:

(Forster, 1781)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Gentoo Penguin

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Near Threatened ver 3.1

Year Published:

2010

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Calvert, R., Butchart, S., Bird, J.

Contributor/s:

Croxall, J.

Justification:
This species qualifies as Near Threatened because, while some populations have apparently increased, rapid declines in some key populations are suspected to be driving a moderately rapid global population decline.

History:

2008	–	Near Threatened
2004	–	Near Threatened

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Pygoscelis papua breeds on South Georgia (Georgia del Sur) and the South Sandwich Islands (Islas Sandwich del Sur), the Falkland Islands (Malvinas), on Martillo Island, Argentina⁹, the South Orkney and South Shetland Islands, Prince Edward and Marion Islands (South Africa), Crozet and Kerguelen Islands (French Southern Territories), Heard Island (Heard and McDonald Islands [to Australia]) and Macquarie Island (Australia), and the Antarctic Peninsula. The total (minimum) population has been estimated at 314,000 pairs⁶. Populations on the Antarctic Peninsula (25% of the total) are increasing at most sites, some (e.g. Signy Island) have doubled in the last 20 years³. Conversely, populations at sub-Antarctic islands (75% of the total) may have decreased substantially. For example, populations at Bird Island (the only monitored population at South Georgia - 33% of the total) decreased by c.67% over the last 25 years⁴, at Marion Island (3% of the total) by 11% over the period 1994-1997¹ and on the Falklands (21% of the total) by c.45% from 1932-33 to 1995-95². More recent surveys on the Falklands have shown the population to have increased from 65,000 pairs in 1995-96 to 113,000 pairs in 2000⁷, whilst a suggested increase at Macquarie needs confirming⁵.
Countries:	Native: Antarctica; Argentina; Chile; Falkland Islands (Malvinas); French Southern Territories (the); Heard Island and McDonald Islands; South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Vagrant: Australia; New Zealand; Saint Helena; South Africa Present - origin uncertain: Bouvet Island
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The total (minimum) population has been estimated at 314,000 pairs (Woehler, 1993).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It is a partially migratory marine species which nests on rocky coasts, sometimes amongst vegetation⁸.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Threats include disturbance by humans, local pollution, and potential interactions with fisheries⁵.

Major Threat(s):

Threats include disturbance by humans, local pollution, and potential interactions with fisheries⁵.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway None known. Conservation Actions Proposed Continue/extend long-term monitoring of breeding colonies. Prevent disturbance to breeding colonies.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
None known.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Continue/extend long-term monitoring of breeding colonies. Prevent disturbance to breeding colonies.

Bibliography [top]

	Barnes, K. N. 2000. The Eskom Red Data Book of birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. BirdLife South Africa, Johannesburg. Bingham, M. 1998. The distribution, abundance and population trends of Gentoo, Rockhopper and King penguins in the Falkland Islands. Oryx 32: 223-322. del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A.; Sargatal, J. 1992. Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 1: Ostrich to Ducks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Ellis, S.; Croxall, J. P.; Cooper, J. 1998. Penguin conservation assessment and management plan: report from the workshop held 8-9 September 1996, Cape Town, South Africa. IUCN/SSC, Apple Valley, USA. Ghys, M. I.; Rey, A. R.; Schiavini, A. 2008. Population trend and breeding biology of Gentoo Penguin, Martillo Island, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Waterbirds 31(4): 625-631. Woehler, E. J. 1993. The distribution and abundance of Antarctic and Subantarctic penguins. Scientific Commission on Antarctic Research, Cambridge, U.K.

Barnes, K. N. 2000. The Eskom Red Data Book of birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. BirdLife South Africa, Johannesburg.

Bingham, M. 1998. The distribution, abundance and population trends of Gentoo, Rockhopper and King penguins in the Falkland Islands. Oryx 32: 223-322.

del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A.; Sargatal, J. 1992. Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 1: Ostrich to Ducks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain.

Ellis, S.; Croxall, J. P.; Cooper, J. 1998. Penguin conservation assessment and management plan: report from the workshop held 8-9 September 1996, Cape Town, South Africa. IUCN/SSC, Apple Valley, USA.

Ghys, M. I.; Rey, A. R.; Schiavini, A. 2008. Population trend and breeding biology of Gentoo Penguin, Martillo Island, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Waterbirds 31(4): 625-631.

Woehler, E. J. 1993. The distribution and abundance of Antarctic and Subantarctic penguins. Scientific Commission on Antarctic Research, Cambridge, U.K.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2010. Pygoscelis papua. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 22 May 2012.
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