Health evaluation of wild gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) in the Antarctic PeninsulaShow others and affiliations
2013 (English)In: Polar Biology, ISSN 0722-4060, E-ISSN 1432-2056, Vol. 36, no 12, p. 1749-1760Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Historically wildlife conservation was based on habitat protection and exploitation control. Only recently have diseases been considered an important issue. However, pathogens are usually described during or after disease outbreaks, but to determine which pathogens may be emerging, surveys of wildlife health are critical in a given time. This study deals with the health status of gentoo penguins Pygoscelis papua in two localities at the Antarctica Peninsula and one at Ardley Island off the South Shetland Islands. Cloacal swaps, fresh fecal samples, ectoparasites, and blood smears were collected. We examined and dissected 14 penguin corpses found dead. Fecal samples were positive for Campylobacter, Escherichia coli and in the carcasses four endoparasitic species were found: Diphyllobothrium sp. and Parorchites zederi, Corynosoma shackletoni and Stegophorus adeliae. The tick Ixodes uriae occurred in five of the examined penguins, and the louse Austrogoniodes gressitti on six birds. From the colony grounds, we collected 1,184 I. uriae. We recorded antibiotic-resistant bacteria, such as E. coli, in ecosystems where gentoo penguins breed. Cloacal samples (300) were negative for Chlamydia, as well as for Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli, Newcastle and Influenza viruses.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2013. Vol. 36, no 12, p. 1749-1760
Keywords [en]
Health, Gentoo penguins, Antarctica, Pathogens, Endoparasites, Ectoparasites
National Category
Natural Sciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-213484DOI: 10.1007/s00300-013-1394-5ISI: 000327393700004OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-213484DiVA, id: diva2:682889
2013-12-302013-12-232017-12-06Bibliographically approved