Impact of predation on king penguin Aptenodytes patagonicus in Crozet Archipelago

Abstract

Predation can have major effects on population dynamics, but predator–prey interactions in marine ecosystems have rarely been studied. While the king penguin is one of the most studied seabirds, little is known about the impact of predation on its population dynamics. Here, we determine the impact of the main predators (giant petrels and skuas) on king penguin breeding success taking into account the nocturnal predation of petrels. We found that predation is the most important source of breeding failure for king penguins. The smallest chicks within creches are the most hunted. The periphery of the colony suffers the highest risk of predation during summer. Our study shows the unequal quality of some areas inside the colony in terms of predation risk and breeding success, and points out the importance of timing in successful breeding.