Unprecedented heat mortality of Magellanic Penguins

Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and severe, leading to an increase in direct, adverse thermoregulatory impacts on wildlife. Here, we document an unprecedented, single-day, heat-related mortality event of Magellanic Penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) at Punta Tombo, Chubut Province, Argentina, one of the largest breeding colonies for this species. We found 264 dead adults and 90 dead chicks in the breeding colony and along the beaches after recording the highest temperature in the shade (44 degrees C on January 19, 2019) since the study started in December 1982. We found dead adults and chicks in postures used to release heat (i.e. lying prone with flippers and feet extended away from the body and/or bills open). We found no evidence for other causes of mortality other than heat (e.g., disease, toxic algae, starvation). Adults potentially died of dehydration, because dead adults were in significantly worse body condition than adults that survived. Dead adults had either empty stomachs or <50 g of food, and 27% of the dead adults died traveling between the nesting area and the water. More males died than females (83% male and 17% female; n = 94). In one section of the colony, similar to 5% of 1,153 adults died in the heat. Mortality rates of adults were unevenly distributed across the colony, suggesting that the presence of microclimates or easier beach access was an important factor to penguin survival. The body condition indices of dead and live chicks were similar and chicks that died from heat had food in their stomachs (mean = 405 +/- 128 g; n = 14), suggesting that food likely inhibited their ability to thermoregulate. Documenting the effects of extreme weather events on populations is crucial to predicting how they will respond to climate change because these events, although rare, are expected to become more frequent and could have severe impacts on populations.

Automated summary

This study documents an unprecedented heat-related mortality event of Magellanic Penguins in Argentina, caused by extreme high temperatures in a single day. The research found that both adult penguins and chicks died, potentially due to dehydration and lack of food. The mortality rates of adult penguins were unevenly distributed across the breeding colony, indicating the importance of microclimates and beach access to penguin survival.