Magellanic penguin mortality in 2008 along the SW Atlantic coast

Magellanic penguins migrate from Patagonia reaching northern Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil on their winter migration, in parallel with the seasonal pulse of anchovy spawning. In 2008, Magellanic penguins went further north than usual. Many died and a few swam nearly to the Equator. Twelve groups surveyed 5000. km of coastline encountering 3371 penguins along the coast. Most penguins arrived in northern Brazil (68.4%) without petroleum (2933, 87%). Almost all penguins without petroleum were juveniles (2915, 99%) and 55% were alive when found. Penguins were dehydrated, anemic, hypothermic, and emaciated. Of the penguins with petroleum, 13% arrived in the southern half of Brazil, showing that petroleum pollution remains a problem along the SW Atlantic coast. The mortality occurred in the winter of 2008 when sea surface temperature were unusually cold perhaps reducing the prey for penguins.Fil: Garcia Borboroglu, Jorge Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentina. University of Washington, Seattle; Estados Unidos. Global Penguin Society (GPS); Estados UnidosFil: Boersma, P. Dee. University of Washington, Seattle; Estados Unidos. Global Penguin Society (GPS); Estados UnidosFil: Ruoppolo, Valeria. International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW); Estados UnidosFil: Pinho-da-Silva-Filho, Rodolfo. Centro de Recuperação de Animais Marinhos (CRAM – MO/FURG), Rio Grande, ; BrasilFil: Corrado-Adornes, Andréa. Centro de Recuperação de Animais Marinhos (CRAM – MO/FURG), Rio Grande, ; BrasilFil: Conte-Sena, Daniella. IBAMA SUPES, São Paulo; BrasilFil: Velozo, Raquel. Instituto Mamíferos Acuáticos, Salvador; BrasilFil: Myiaji-Kolesnikovas, Cristiane. R3 Animal, Florianópolis; BrasilFil: Dutra, Gustavo. Aquário Municipal de Santos; BrasilFil: Maracini, Pryscilla. Aquário do Guaruja (Acquamundo); BrasilFil: Carvalho-do-Nascimento, Cláudia. CETAS UNIMONTE, Santos; BrasilFil: Ramos-Júnior, Valdir. Fundação RioZoo, Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Barbosa, Lupércio. Instituto Orca, Vila Velha; BrasilFil: Serra, Sheila. Instituto Mamíferos Acuáticos, Salvador; Brasi