Kelp gulls attack Southern right whales: a conservation concern?

Kelp gulls (Larus dominicanus) feed on pieces of skin and blubber they rip from Southern right whales’ (Eubalaena australis) backs in their breeding areas at Península Valdés, Argentina, producing injuries. This behavior has increased since the first record in 1972, and some authors have suggested that constant gull harassment could have a negative effect on right whale population. The main goal of this study is to assess the variables that most affect the gull attacks. We analyzed 5359 whale-watching sightings made during trips from Puerto Pirámides (42º34′S, 64º16′W) along the whale breeding seasons (June–December) 2005 to 2007. The most important factors affecting the attacks include the presence of a mother–calf pair, the time within the season, the distance to the coast and the wind velocity. There is also concern of possible transmission of infectious diseases in the attacks since increasing number of whales with different patterns of skin lesions have been observed.Fil: Fazio, Ana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Bertellotti, Néstor Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentina. Wild Earth Foundation; ArgentinaFil: Villanueva, María Cecilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentin

Uso diferencial del recurso alimento entre la gaviota cocinera Larus dominicanus y la amenazada gaviota de Olrog l. atlanticus

We assessed the potential overlap in diet composition of the kelp gull Larus dominicanus and the threatened Olrog's gull L. atlanticus breeding syntopically at Bahía San Blas, Argentina, during two breeding seasons (2006 and 2007). Diet was studied using regurgitated pellets (180 per species and year) and chick stomach samples obtained through the water offloading technique (60 per species only in 2007). Kelp gulls fed on at least 18 prey types. Fish was the most important diet component (73.3–85%, depending on breeding stage and year), mainly stripped weakfish Cynoscion guatucupa (63.3–75%). Crustaceans were the main prey encountered in Olrog's gull diet, particularly the crabs Neohelice granulata and Cyrtograpsus altimanus, with frequencies of occurrence of over 98% at all breeding stages. Fish in Olrog's gulls diet were only recorded in the old chick stage and in less than 3.3% of samples, while the occurrence of crustaceans in kelp gull diet throughout the study period was never greater than 13%. The specialised crab-based diet of Olrog's gulls contrasts sharply with the generalist and opportunistic diet of the kelp gull. The characteristics of prey remains and the large size of stripped weakfish found in kelp gull diet samples suggest they were obtained from coastal sport and artisanal fisheries. Future studies should monitor the consumption of fish waste by kelp gulls as a function of changes in fishing effort, and assess the dietary overlap between both gull species in coastal sectors where breeding birds have no access to this human-derived food source.Fil: Yorio, Pablo Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentina. Wildlife Conservation Society; Estados UnidosFil: Marinao, Cristian Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Retana, Maria Valeria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Suarez, Nicolas Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentin

Species-specific population trends detected for penguins, gulls and cormorants over 20 years in sub-Antarctic Fuegian Archipelago

Understanding the dynamics and causes of population trends are essential for seabird conservation. Long-term studies of seabirds at high-latitude (Antarctic, sub-Antarctic and Arctic) regions have shown contrasting species-specific trends in population size in response to climate change and anthropogenic pressures. We have studied for the last 20 years (1992?2012) the population trends of seven seabird species that breed in the Beagle Channel, south-eastern Tierra del Fuego and at Staten Island, a sub-Antarctic region in southern Argentina. The numbers of Magellanic and Gentoo Penguins increased significantly since 1992 (by[15 % year-1). In comparison, the populations of Imperial Cormorants, Dolphin Gulls and Kelp Gulls increased at slower rates ( % year-1), while the Rock Cormorant population even decreased by 1.3 % year-1. At Staten Island, the numbers of Rockhopper Penguins decreased by 24 % between the censuses of 1998 and 2010, whereas the population of Magellanic Penguins increased by 227 % during the same period. Over the study period, air and sea-surface temperatures remained stable in our study area, suggesting that the detected population changes are not driven by the climate. This finding contrasts with the detected links between increasing temperature trends and seabird population changes reported from Antarctic and Arctic regions. The level of tourism and size of the permanent human population has increased in the Beagle Channel area during the last 20 years and could be responsible for the increase of gull populations. The seabird species that received the highest number of visitors (Imperial Cormorants and penguin species) seem to be adapted or at least indifferent to pressures exerted by tourism, as their populations increased during the study period. In addition, increasing numbers of seabirds in the area may generally be leading to higher abundances of scavenging species (e.g. gulls).Fil: Raya Rey, Andrea Nélida. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Rosciano, Natalia Gimena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Liljesthrom, Marcela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Saenz Samaniego, Ricardo Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Schiavini, Adrian Carlos Miguel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina. Wildlife Conservation Society; Estados Unido