This Mondays Endangered Species articles focuses on a non-African native avian species commonly known as the Northern Rock Hopper Penguin. Generically identified as Eudyptes moseleyi back in 1921 by Dr Gregory Macalister Mathews CBE (10 September 1876 - 27 March 1949) whom was an Australian amateur ornithologist and Tom Iredale (24 March 1880 – 12 April 1972) whom was an English-born ornithologist and malacologist who had a long association with Australia, where he lived for most of his life. He was an autodidact who never went to university and lacked formal training. This was reflected in his later work; he never revised his manuscripts and never used a typewriter. There has been and still is some conflict surrounding both the Northern and Southern Rock Hopper Penguins. Based on scientific facts present debates on past issues is nor relevant to this report nor will be accepted as leading evidence on the two genera. Eudyptes chrysocome has been split into E. chrysocome and E. moseleyi following on the basis of clear morphological, vocal and genetic terms, and this treatment has been accepted here following a review by the Bird-Life Taxonomic Working Group. However, although E. filholi has been proposed as a split from E. chrysocome by Banks et al both the sample sizes and the degree of morphological difference are small and this view is not accepted here. Native to French Southern Territories; Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Northern Rock Hopper Penguins populations are decreasing in size quite rapidly. The Southern Rock Hopper Penguins populations are also decreasing rapidly too of which is listed as (vulnerable). Whereas the Northern Rock Hopper Penguin is currently listed as (endangered). Eudyptes moseleyi is found in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean. It has a restricted breeding range, occurring on just seven islands with a total land area of 250 km2. The majority are found on Gough Island and islands in the Tristan da Cunha group (St Helena to UK), with 83,000 pairs on Middle Island, 64,700 pairs on Gough, 25,000 pairs on Nightingale, 54,000 pairs on Inaccessible and 6,700 pairs on Tristan (Bird-Life International 2010, Bird-Life International 2012). The rest of the population is found in the India Ocean with 24,890 pairs on Amsterdam Island and 9,023 pairs on St Paul Island (French Southern Territories). Early records indicate that millions of penguins used to occur on both Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island. Approximately 2 million pairs (98%) were lost from Gough Island between 1955 and 2006 and Tristan da Cunha is thought to have held hundreds of thousands of pairs in the 1870s, which were reduced to around 5,000 pairs by 1955. The breeding colonies on Amsterdam and St Paul Islands have reduced in size by 40%. Population modelling, based on those breeding sites that have been accurately surveyed, indicates that over the past 37 years (= 3 generations) the number of Northern Rockhopper Penguins has declined by 57% (Bird-life International 2010). The Northern Rock Hopper Penguin feeds on krill and other sea life such as crustaceans, squid, octopus and fish. It breeds in colonies in a range of locations from sea level or on cliff sides, to sometimes inland. The population is estimated at around 265,000 breeding pairs which may indeed seem quite high and stable unfortunately this is not the case and both species as explained are on the decrease. It is quite possible that the Northern Rock Hopper Penguin may be extinct by 2020 with the Southern Rock Hopper Penguin following soon after should efforts being made to decrease species loss not increase. Threats to both genera are identical which is listed below for your information. Threats; Egg collection was common at some colonies until the 1950s, such as on Tristan da Cunha, and may continue on Nightingale, perhaps causing decreases. Penguins were taken historically as bait for use in crab pots at a number of sites, including at St Paul (Indian Ocean) and Tristan da Cunha. The only reported cases of major predation by invasive species are feral pigs on Tristan and Inaccessible (where pigs were eradicated in 1873 and 1930, respectively). Domestic and feral dogs were also reported to be a problem on Tristan da Cunha (Bird-Life International 2010). Food supplies may be affected by squid fisheries, climate change and shifts in marine food webs. Increasing disturbance and pollution results from (ecotourism) and fishing. Driftnet fishing and rock-lobster fisheries have caused significant mortality. One possible ‘top-down’ effect on the eudyptid penguins is competition with pinnipeds–especially subantarctic fur seals Arctocephalus tropicalis. In early 2011, a cargo ship ran aground on Nightingale Island. The resultant oil spill reached Inaccessible Island and Tristan more than 30km away. Early indications are that the impact on the breeding population has not been as severe as initially feared (Bird-Life International 2012). In this case article its quite clear to see that humans are not just to blame for other species of animals declining in size. Had invasive pigs on Tristan and Inaccessible not been eradicated we would most certainly have seen localized extinctions occurring. Although not now a major threat Tristan da Cunha feral dogs would or could have caused local extinctions from occurring furthermore. Sadly humans are yet again to blame primarily for this species downfall. Least forgetting climate change that is affecting many African native and non-native marine birds. Thank you for reading Simone Gutav Environmental Analyst Foreign Affairs [email protected] Subscribe for free to our Environmental and Animal Welfare Investigative Organisation - E.N.M here at speakupforthevoiceless.org Donate to our environmental company here today and PLEASE help us Fund African Wildlife Survival. F..A.W.S has successfully helped preserve the lives of 86 animals this year and 21 last year. This August F.A.W.S has helped purchase vast sums of Anti Poaching Equipment, kept Virunga Rangers in operation, and helped Anti Poaching Units at the David Sherlock Wildlife Trust :) plus much more. Lastly we are hopeful although that the release of Teddy :D will be seen very soon with much appreciation and great thanks to our International Animal Rescue Foundation World Action India Environmental and Animal Rescue Unit :) Donate here today via our right hand donate tab; international-animalrescue-foundation.org.uk/mission-statement/ Alternatively one can donate here today too using our safe and secure application that is used by many Non-For-Profits and Charities. - https://facebook/pages/International-Animal-Rescue-Foundation-World-Action-South-Africa/199685603444685?sk=app_117708921611213 (If you are new to donating please use the buy as a guest option that will make it a little easier. For further information please contact our donation and F.A.W.S team here - when you donate you are automatically entered into our environmental and animal rescue news mission that starts this September :) international-animalrescue-foundation.org.uk/general-enquiries/ Help us end the cruel and senseless pet and bush meat trade by joining us here today at saynotodogmeat.net - You can contact our directive team Michelle Brown, Donna Armes or Simone Gutav here today - [email protected] :) Michelle Brown and Donna Armes are two excellent and well known animal rehabilitaters and experts in the field of wildlife and domestic animal welfare :)
Posted on: Mon, 25 Aug 2014 02:10:52 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015