I came across the following item in my travels the other week and have appended
the summary. I can forward a text version to those who so request.
Basically this is a different kettle of fish [to use an old metaphor] to ID
issues previously discussed on this list. I think the key point here is that
there is an alternative technology readily available, and although there a
qualitative differences in how it is used from flipper banding, and there are
some unresolved issues, that subcutaneous transponders are a preferable
alternative - particularly when the little fellas can be relied on to return to
their roosts [means you can monitor without actually being there].
Anyhow, an interesting read.
LK
Functional Ecology Volume 16 Issue 1 Page 141 - February 2002
The potential costs of flipper-bands to penguins
S. Jackson* and R. P. Wilson
Summary
The published literature on the effects of flipper-bands on penguin ecology is
reviewed. Six published studies show the following.
In Adélie Penguins Pygoscelis adeliae, flipper-bands directly damaged flippers,
increased swimming costs by 24, decreased survival in the first year after
banding by 28, and may have accelerated decline of a dwindling colony by 3.
Adult return rates to colonies among flipper-banded Adélie, Chinstrap P.
antarctica and Gentoo P. papua Penguins decreased by 8, 12 and 25,
respectively, between single- and double-banded penguins. Juvenile return rates
among Gentoo Penguins were reduced by 10·5. Return rates to the colony among
double-banded King Penguins Aptenodytes patagonicus were 31·3 and 6·7 lower than
among single-banded birds in the first and second years after banding,
respectively, and single flipper-banded birds showed annual survival rates 21·1
lower than those of birds fitted with subcutaneous
transponders.
Among Royal Penguins Eudyptes schlegeli, there were no differences between chick
growth, adult over-winter survival and fledging success between flipper-banded
birds and birds fitted with transponders.
Adélie Penguin adult annual survival rates were lower among flipper-banded
birds than among unbanded birds.
On the basis of dive profiles for Adélie Penguins, it is estimated that
increased swimming costs of 5 reduce prey contact time by 10, and of 24 reduce
prey contact time by 48. These estimated knock-on or cumulative costs coupled
with the survival and breeding costs shown by the majority of published field
studies suggest that data collected on some flipper-banded populations are
biased.
The advantages and disadvantages of an alternative long-term marking technique,
subcutaneously implanted passively interrogated transponder tags, are discussed.
Research projects currently testing transponders and flipper-bands worldwide
are listed.
.
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