Artificial nests increased reproductive rates in African penguins by 16.5%, but there is no one-size-fits-all design. (Included)
Artificial nests may increase the reproduction rate of endangered African penguins, a new study led by Nelson Mandela University shows.
These artificial nests made of wooden boxes, cement and fiberglass outperformed natural nests, increasing reproductive production by 16.5%, an international team of researchers from South Africa and the UK found. It was done.
Lorian Pichegru, lead author of the study and an adjunct professor at the university's Institute of Coastal Oceanography, worked with researchers to monitor the reproductive success of African penguins in a colony in South Africa for 12 years.
Their research results published in journals Ecological solutions and evidencewarned that there is no one-size-fits-all design and that different designs will be effective for different colonies.
“For example, in one colony (Bird Island) fiberglass nests had the worst hatching success rate of all nest types, while in another colony (Boulders Beach) it outperformed cement nests.”
They had hoped that their latest design, a double-layered ceramic nest, was the “big answer” and would work well in all colonies, but Pichegru said “that was not entirely the case.” .
Different colonies face different threats, so the most effective design for artificial nests will vary from colony to colony, she said.
“Penguins in terrestrial colonies such as Boulders Beach are threatened by mammals, whereas penguins in colonies without vegetation such as Bird Island are exposed to sunlight. Different artificial nest designs respond to different threats. It was a better fit,” she says.
“Instead of just going with one design, you need to look for the best design for each colony,” she said.
Endemic to southern Africa, the African penguin is one of the world's most endangered seabirds, facing extinction in the wild by 2035. The population has declined by 90% over the past 70 years and is now down to around 8,500 breeding pairs. .
The continued decline in African penguin numbers means further conservation efforts beyond artificial nests are needed, primarily through increasing food availability.
“The main causes of recent declines in African penguin numbers are food shortages, oil spills, underwater noise pollution and predation,” Pichegru said.
“Biologically meaningful fishing exclusion zones around major colonies are urgently needed.”
Artificial nests have been used in various colonies in South Africa for more than 30 years.
The study was conducted as part of a review of the African Penguin Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP), published in 2013, which guides conservation strategies to prevent African penguin extinction. New nest designs were required to maximize reproductive output.
“Since it has been 10 years since the BMP was implemented, I have been reviewing the conservation efforts that were effective and those that were less effective or could have been done better,” Pichegru said. said. “And in the end, I had data on every artificial nest and every natural nest available over the past 12 years. [largest penguin] Colony. ”
This is what made this study so exciting. “Before that, we were observing artificial nests, but often within one colony. So I was observing artificial nests on Bird Island and others were observing artificial nests on Robben Island. So now we've observed all the colonies at the same time.”
The researchers checked both natural nests and four types of artificial nests weekly from the time the eggs were laid until either the chicks fledged or the nests were destroyed. The artificial nest included a newly designed ceramic nest with a sloped roof and a 5 cm interlayer air gap. A-frame pine plywood nest (oldest design). Cement nests made from a mixture of fiberglass and cement, and fiberglass burrows that mimic the shape of natural penguin burrows.
The researchers noted that breeding success in natural nests may have been slightly underestimated in the study due to the logistical difficulties of monitoring. Natural nests monitored for reproductive success are often chosen in accessible locations to reduce disturbance and therefore are more exposed to weather and predators.
“Also, this study was not always able to closely track the fate of individual birds or breeding pairs over multiple years,” said co-author Richard Shirley from the University of Exeter.
“This means we can't be sure how much of the benefits we measure come from the 'best' penguins who actively choose to breed in artificial nests. Understanding whether artificial nests are attractive to penguins could also inform conservation strategies. ”
Pichegru spoke about the importance of the discovery. “We need to do everything we can to save penguins, so [artificial nests] This is a very important conservation effort, and we needed to scientifically confirm whether it was effective. ”
