Penguins tracked amid climate change fears

Genetic ''featherprints'' are being used to map the movements of penguins and see how they are affected by global warming.

 

Published: 7:30AM GMT 14 Dec 2009

Genetic ''featherprints'' are being used to map the movements of penguins and see how they are affected by global warming. Photo: AP 

 

Scientists have found genetic markers in DNA from collected feathers that can help them track Antarctic penguins as they migrate between colonies. They hope the technique will reveal whether climate change is driving the birds from their favoured breeding sites.

 

The DNA allows scientists to determine the relatedness of birds within a colony, enabling them to follow the movements of individuals and populations. The markers have already been used to make a population map of macaroni penguins around South Georgia. Genetic tracking is now being extended to all penguin species on the Antarctic Peninsular.

Dr Tom Hart, one of the scientists from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), said: ''Knowing how penguins are responding to climate change is vital to conservation efforts. If we understand how their populations are changing, we can do something about it, such as making sure that our protected areas are in the right place for penguins in 100 years' time.''

Penguins are not only threatened by climate change, but are also under increasing pressure from fisheries that take their food. Studying them is notoriously difficult because they live in very harsh environments and are hard to track.

Dr Hart is launching a series of expeditions to gather feather samples and plot the movement of penguins around the Southern Ocean.

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