Eudyptes chrysocome

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	Sphenisciformes	Spheniscidae

Scientific Name:

Eudyptes chrysocome

Species Authority:

(Forster, 1781)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Southern Rockhopper Penguin

Taxonomic Notes:

Eudyptes chrysocome (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into E. chrysocome and E. moseleyi following Jouventin et al. (2006) on the basis of clear morphological, vocal and genetic terms, and this treatment has been accepted here following a review by the BirdLife Taxonomic Working Group. However, although E. filholi has been proposed as a split from E. chrysocome by Banks et al. (2006), both the sample sizes and the degree of morphological difference are small and this view is not accepted here.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable A2abcde+3bcde+4abcde ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

BirdLife International

Evaluator/s:

Butchart, S. & Mahood, S. (BirdLife International Red List Authority)

Justification:
This newly split species has been classified as Vulnerable owing to rapid population declines, which, although they have been ongoing for perhaps a century, appear to have worsened in recent years.

History:

2004	–	Not Recognized
2000	–	Not Recognized
1994	–	Not Recognized
1988	–	Not Recognized

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Eudyptes chrysocome occurs as two similar subspecies. E. c. chrysocome breeds on the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) and a number of offshore islands in southern Chile and Argentina (Staten Island:173,793 pairs in 1998, Isla Ildefonso: 86,400 pairs in 2002, Diego Ramirez : 132,721 pairs in 2002, Isla Noir: 134,000 pairs in 2003). Subspecies E. c. filholi breeds on Prince Edward and Marion Islands (South Africa), Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands (French Southern Territories), Heard Island (Heard and McDonald Islands [to Australia]), Macquarie Island (Australia) (32 000-43 000 pairs in 2006/07 - much lower than previous estimates) and Campbell, Auckland and Antipodes Islands (New Zealand), where declines have been noted on all islands and now perhaps only a couple of hundred thousand birds remain. Other than the populations in Chile and Argentina, where population trends are unclear (although there have been declines at least locally¹²), all other subpopulations have undergone severe declines²: for example, 90% in 60 years in the Falklands (declined from 1.5 million pairs in the 1930's to 210,418 pairs in 2007), 40% in 13 years (1985-1998) on Marion (150,000)², and 94% since the 1940s on Campbell (51,500 in 1985)^1,14.
Countries:	Native: Argentina; Australia; Chile; Falkland Islands (Malvinas); New Zealand
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	There are perhaps 210,418 pairs on the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) and large populations on a number of offshore islands in southern Chile and Argentina (Staten Island:173,793 pairs in 1998, Isla Ildefonso: 86,400 pairs in 2002, Diego Ramirez : 132,721 pairs in 2002, Isla Noir: 134,000 pairs in 2003). As well as on Prince Edward and Marion Islands (150,000) (South Africa), Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands (French Southern Territories), Heard Island (Heard and McDonald Islands [to Australia]), Macquarie Island (Australia) (32 000-43 000 pairs in 2006/07 - much lower than previous estimates) and Campbell (51,500 in 1985), Auckland and Antipodes Islands (New Zealand), where declines have been noted on all islands and now perhaps only a couple of hundred thousand birds (at most) remain.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Population:

There are perhaps 210,418 pairs on the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) and large populations on a number of offshore islands in southern Chile and Argentina (Staten Island:173,793 pairs in 1998, Isla Ildefonso: 86,400 pairs in 2002, Diego Ramirez : 132,721 pairs in 2002, Isla Noir: 134,000 pairs in 2003). As well as on Prince Edward and Marion Islands (150,000) (South Africa), Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands (French Southern Territories), Heard Island (Heard and McDonald Islands [to Australia]), Macquarie Island (Australia) (32 000-43 000 pairs in 2006/07 - much lower than previous estimates) and Campbell (51,500 in 1985), Auckland and Antipodes Islands (New Zealand), where declines have been noted on all islands and now perhaps only a couple of hundred thousand birds (at most) remain.

Population Trend:

Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It breeds in colonies, from sea-level to cliff-tops, and sometimes inland. It feeds on krill and other crustaceans, squid, octopus and fish⁷.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Increasing disturbance and pollution results from ecotourism and fishing². Food supplies may be affected by squid fisheries, climate change and shifts in marine food webs^1,3,9. In Patagonian coastal waters (an important wintering ground for the Falklands population⁴), hydrocarbon exploitation is a threat². Rock-lobster fisheries have previously used birds for bait^5,6. On Auckland, Macquarie and Kerguelen, introduced predators may affect breeding success². The massive mortality event on the Falklands in 2002/3 was due to a Harmful Algal Bloom¹³.

Major Threat(s):

Increasing disturbance and pollution results from ecotourism and fishing². Food supplies may be affected by squid fisheries, climate change and shifts in marine food webs^1,3,9. In Patagonian coastal waters (an important wintering ground for the Falklands population⁴), hydrocarbon exploitation is a threat². Rock-lobster fisheries have previously used birds for bait^5,6. On Auckland, Macquarie and Kerguelen, introduced predators may affect breeding success². The massive mortality event on the Falklands in 2002/3 was due to a Harmful Algal Bloom¹³.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation actions underway: Regular monitoring is undertaken on the Falklands, Marion, and Campbell Islands^8,10. Several ecological and demographic studies have been undertaken^2,3. Many islands with breeding colonies are reserves. Recent research attempts to determine the cause of historic declines using stable isotope analysis of museum skins⁹. Conservation actions proposed: Continue or start to monitor all populations, to assess trends³. Investigate the possible impact of oil exploitation³. Conduct studies to assess interactions with commercial fisheries². Study the potential impacts of climate change. Assess the threat from introduced predators. Reduce disturbance from ecotourism through the use of codes of conduct.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation actions underway:

Regular monitoring is undertaken on the Falklands, Marion, and Campbell Islands^8,10. Several ecological and demographic studies have been undertaken^2,3. Many islands with breeding colonies are reserves. Recent research attempts to determine the cause of historic declines using stable isotope analysis of museum skins⁹.

Conservation actions proposed:

Continue or start to monitor all populations, to assess trends³. Investigate the possible impact of oil exploitation³. Conduct studies to assess interactions with commercial fisheries². Study the potential impacts of climate change. Assess the threat from introduced predators. Reduce disturbance from ecotourism through the use of codes of conduct.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Eudyptes chrysocome. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 09 February 2010.
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