Register      Login
Emu Emu Society
Journal of BirdLife Australia
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > MU > MU06028
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 107(1)

Differences in breeding success between African Penguins (Spheniscus demersus) that were and were not oiled in the MV Treasure oil-spill in 2000

Peter J. Barham A E , Les G. Underhill B , Robert J. M. Crawford B C and T. Mario Leshoro D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A H H Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TL, UK.

B Avian Demography Unit, Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa.

C Marine and Coastal Management, Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Private Bag X2, Rogge Bay 8012, South Africa.

D Robben Island Museum, Robben Island 7400, South Africa.

E Corresponding author. Email: peter.barham@bristol.ac.uk

Emu 107(1) 7-13 https://doi.org/10.1071/MU06028
Submitted: 14 June 2006  Accepted: 29 January 2007   Published: 26 February 2007

Abstract

About 19 000 African Penguins (Spheniscus demersus) were oiled when the bulk ore carrier MV Treasure sank off the west coast of South Africa in June 2000. Of these, more than 17 000 Penguins were cleaned, rehabilitated and released back to the wild. The breeding success of these birds was compared with unoiled birds and birds oiled during other oil-spills, by measuring fecundity, hatching success and fledging success from 2001 to 2005 on Robben Island. Fledging success averaged 61% in birds that were not oiled in the Treasure spill and 43% in birds oiled during the Treasure event, with a large proportion of the reduction attributable to higher mortality of older chicks. Factors that may have contributed to differential fledging success include long mean intervals between capture and cleaning (22 days) and between capture and release (48 days) for birds oiled in the Treasure spill. One implication of these results is, if a similar large spill should occur in the future, every effort should be made to treat the oiled birds as quickly as possible to reduce the risk of their suffering a similar reduction in breeding productivity. Further, the other interventions, such as relocation of unoiled birds and captive-rearing of orphaned chicks may need to receive higher priority than hitherto.


Acknowledgements

The project was funded by the Earthwatch Institute, Darwin Initiative, National Research Foundation and our research institutes. We thank the Earthwatch volunteers and the staff and students of the Avian Demography Unit, Marine and Coastal Management, Robben Island Museum and Bristol Zoo Gardens who assisted with the nest monitoring and who led the Earthwatch teams. Barbara Barham, Duncan Bolton, Bruce Dyer, Sue Kuyper, Jane Underhill and Leshia Upfold provided essential logistical support. The Robben Island Museum provided assistance in many ways. Banding information was administered by SAFRING.


References

Barnes K. N. (Ed.) (1998). ‘The Important Bird Areas of Southern Africa.’ (BirdLife South Africa: Johannesburg.)

Birrel J. (1994). General principles of disease control. In ‘Proceedings: Coastal Oil Spills: Effect on Penguin Communities and Rehabilitation Procedures’. (Eds J. Barrett, Z. Erasmus and A. Williams.) pp. 34–37. (Cape Nature Conservation: Cape Town.)

Bradley, J. S. , Wooller, R. D. , and Skira, I. J. (1995). The relationship of pair-bond formation and duration to reproductive success in Short-tailed Shearwaters Puffinus tenuirostris. Journal of Animal Ecology 64, 31–38.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Crawford R. J. M., and Dyer B. M. (2000). ‘Wildlife of Robben Island.’ Bright Continent Guide 1. (Avian Demography Unit, University of Cape Town: Cape Town.)

Crawford R. J. M., Boonstra H. G. v D., Dyer B. M., and Upfold L. (1995a). Recolonization of Robben Island by African Penguins, 1983–1992. In ‘The Penguins: Ecology and Management’. (Eds P. Dann, I. Norman and P. Reilly.) pp. 333–363. (Surrey Beatty: Sydney.)

Crawford, R. J. M. , Williams, A. J. , Hofmeyr, J. H. , Klages, N. T. W. , Randall, R. M. , Cooper, J. , Dyer, B. M. , and Chesselet, Y. (1995b). Trends of African Penguin Spheniscus demersus populations in the 20th century. South African Journal of Marine Science 16, 101–118.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Du Toit M., Boere G. C., Cooper J., de Villiers M. S., Kemper J., Lenten B., Simmons R. E., Underhill L. G., and Whittington P. A. (2003). ‘Conservation Assessment and Management Plan for Southern African Coastal Seabirds.’ (Avian Demography Unit, University of Cape Town, South Africa, and Conservation Breeding Specialist Group: Cape Town, and Apple Valley, MN.)

Giese, M. , Goldsworthy, D. S. , Gales, R. , Brothers, N. , and Hamill, J. (2000). Effects of the Iron Baron oil spill on Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor). III. Breeding success of rehabilitated oiled birds. Wildlife Research 27, 583–591.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Hockey P. A. R., Dean W. R. J., and Ryan P. G. (Eds) (2005). ‘Roberts Birds of Southern Africa.’ 7th edn. (John Voelcker Bird Book Fund: Cape Town.)

Kerley, G. I. H. , Bowen, L. , and Erasmus, T. (1987). Fish behaviour – a possible role in the oiling of seabirds. South African Journal of Wildlife Research 17, 128–130.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Morant P. D., Cooper J., and Randall R. M. (1981). The rehabilitation of oiled Jackass Penguins Spheniscus demersus, 1970–1980. In ‘Proceedings of the Symposium on Birds of the Sea and Shore’. (Ed. J. Cooper.) pp. 267–301. (African Seabird Group: Cape Town.)

Nel D. C., and Whittington P. A. (2003). ‘The Rehabilitation of Oiled African Penguins: A Conservation Success Story.’ (BirdLife South Africa, and Avian Demography Unit, University of Cape Town, South Africa: Johannesburg and Cape Town.)

Nel D. C., Crawford R. J. M., and Parsons N. J. (2003). The conservation status and impact of oiling on the African Penguin. In ‘The Rehabilitation of Oiled African Penguins: A Conservation Success Story’. (Eds D. C. Nel and P. A. Whittington.) pp. 1–7. (BirdLife South Africa, and Avian Demography Unit, University of Cape Town, South Africa: Johannesburg and Cape Town.)

Parsons, N. J. , and Underhill, L. G. (2005). Oiled and injured African Penguins Spheniscus demersus and other seabirds admitted for rehabilitation in the Western Cape, South Africa, 2001 and 2002. African Journal of Marine Science 27, 289–296.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Randall R. M. (1983). Biology of the Jackass Penguin Spheniscus demersus (L.) at St. Croix Island, South Africa. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Randall R. M. (1989). Jackass Penguins. In ‘Oceans of Life off Southern Africa’. (Eds A. I. L. Payne and R. J. M. Crawford.) pp. 244–256. (Vlaeberg: Cape Town.)

Seddon, P. J. , and van Heezik, Y. M. (1991). Hatching asynchrony and brood reduction in the Jackass Penguin: an experimental study. Animal Behaviour 42, 347–356.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Whittington P. A. (2002). Survival and movements of African Penguins, especially after oiling. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Wolfaardt A. C. (2007). Breeding productivity of rehabilitated African Penguins Spheniscus demersus. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Wolfaardt A. C., and Nel D. C. (2003). Breeding productivity and annual cycle of rehabilitated African Penguins following chronic oiling. In ‘The Rehabilitation of Oiled African Penguins: A Conservation Success Story’. (Eds D. C. Nel and P. A. Whittington.) pp. 18–24. (BirdLife South Africa, and Avian Demography Unit, University of Cape Town, South Africa: Johannesburg and Cape Town.)

Wooller R. D., Bradley J. S., Skira I. J., and Serventy D. L. (1989). Short-tailed Shearwater. In ‘Lifetime Reproduction in Birds’. (Ed. I. Newton.) pp. 405–417. (Academic Press: London.)