Welcome to the Penguin Project
The Penguin Project, started in 1982, is sponsored by the University of Washington, the Wildlife Conservation Society, the province of Chubut, Argentina, and many friends of the penguins.
An exemplary nest and a well-fed chick. This fall, we will conduct a nest survey that will tell us how many penguins nest at Punta Tombo each year.
Penguin News:
Project Updates: If you would like to learn more about what is currently happening with the Penguin Project, send us an e-mail and ask to be added to our list to receive updates about the project.
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April 4, 2012 For more information about the Lenfest Forage Fish Task Force, check out the video that outlines their recommendations. |
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April 2, 2012 This week, the Lenfest Forage Fish Task Force released its report "Little Fish, Big Impact" about the impact that the world's fisheries have on forage fish. Dr. Boersma, a member of the task force, is quoted in the Washington Post and elsewhere regarding the importance of forage fish to penguins. The take-away message: forage fish are more valuable, to fisheries and ecosystems, when left in the ocean. |
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March 29, 2012 We've been asked to share our penguin knowledge in a couple places recently. National Geographic compiled an Explorer's Bio for Dee. Additionally, we've written a species profile for the Duke University's Marine Megafauna digital textbook. The textbook app is currently only available on an iPad, but you can see pieces of the profile on their facebook page. |
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March 1, 2012 This weekend, researchers from the Penguin Project will be at the Pacific Science Center's Polar Science Weekend. Olivia Kane staffed the booth today and reports that the visitors loved learning about penguins. If you live in Seattle, stop by to say hi and learn about penguins!
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February 17, 2012 The University of Washington's College of Arts and Sciences recently released a new documentary Timeless Discoveries which highlights the research and discoveries of the College, including the work of the Penguin Project. The penguin segment, as well as the full video can be viewed here. The segment will soon be posted on our website as well! |
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February 7, 2012 Almost a year after a ship ran aground and spilled oil and soy beans near the islands that are home to 65% of the world's rockhopper penguins, initial survey results suggest the impacts of the oil spill are not as bad as anticipated. Counts from this breeding season show that the breeding population didn't suffer as much as anticipated, but further surveys are needed to determine long-terms effects of the spill.
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January 18, 2012 After an Antarctic cruise spotted an oddly-colored chinstrap penguin in the South Shetland Islands, National Geographic Daily News asked Dr. Boersma for her expert opinion on the bird's condition. Likely, the bird has isabellinism. This condition dilutes the pigmentation in the bird's feathers.
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December 20, 2011 The Global Penguin Society will be one of the beneficiaries of Disney's Club Penguin annual Coins for Change event. On the Club Penguin website, kids can give tokens to a cause of their choice. The virtual donations will help determine how a real-world donation is shared.
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November 28, 2011 Dee's interview will air on BirdNote on Wednesday, November 30th. Listen to learn more about how she helped bring about changes to reduce threat of oil pollution to the penguins. The interview is available at NPR's BirdNote.
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November 3, 2011 The Pew Environment Group draws attention to krill, a small crustacean on which many animals of the Southern Ocean feed, and asks CCAMLR delegates to support monitoring and regulation of krill harvests.
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October 31, 2011 ESRI, a GIS software company whose products were used to compile maps for the Atlas of the Patagonian Sea, has an article about the Atlas, a project of the Wildlife Conservation Society and Birdlife International. Dr. Boersma's satellite data on Magellanic penguins are included in the atlas. More about the atlas can be found here.
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October 6, 2011 Courtney, Jeff, and Laura visited four high school classes in Madryn, Argentina. They described their work with penguins, showed them the equipment and technology we use, and answered many questions. The major newspaper in the province of Chubut, Argentina wrote an article about the visit. The students said the visit was "enjoyable and constructive."
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October 4, 2011 The Lenfest Ocean Program is a grantmaking program that serves to support research regarding the world's oceans and communicate research results to decision makers and other interested audiences. Some of Professor Boersma's work is included on the site, as well as many papers on penguins.
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September 23, 2011 Working with penguins at the Brookfield Zoo outside Chicago, researchers have found that Humboldt penguins may be able to differentiate between the smell of birds they are and are not familiar with, as well as relatives and nonrelatives. For more information, see the article at ScienceNews.
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July 28, 2011 Prof. Boersma is one of the 24 new members elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences in recognition of their distinguished and continuing scientific achievements. The Washington State Academy of Sciences provides expert scientific and engineering analysis to inform public policy-making, and works to increase the role and visibility of science in the State of Washington. Congratulations to Dee! More information on the academy and the official press release here. |
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July 18, 2011 The Animal Demography Unit of the University of Cape Town is tracking a penguin named Lucy. Follow along! |
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June 30, 2011 An article in Treehuggerexamines the alarming numbers and occasions of penguins washing ashore covered in oil. |
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June 28, 2011 Dee talks penguin with the UW ADVANCE Center for Institutional Change. When asked "What were the perspectives of women scientists when you were growing up?" Boersma replies, "What women scientists?" |
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June 27, 2011 According to a Brazilian newspaper, 75 dead penguins have been found off the coast of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. A biologist with the Centre for Coastal Studies, limnology and marine (CECLIMA) said it's common this time of year to find dead penguins on the shore. Usually, the penguins are juveniles who starved. However, since last Friday, there has been an oil event, leading to contamination of birds and higher than usual mortality. |
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June 8, 2011 The AP reports that 600 dead Magellanic penguins have washed up ashore in Uruguay since June 4. Dead turtles, dolphins and albatrosses were also found washed ashore with the penguins. Experts are still trying to determine the cause. |
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May 23, 2011 The Tristan da Cunha website has lots of great photos and updates about the rehabilitation efforts of oiled Rockhopper penguins on Nightingale Island. Go take a look!
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May 12, 2011 May 14-15, 2011 is World Migratory Bird Day and this year's theme is "Land Use Changes from a Bird’s-Eye View." You can find more information at World Migratory Bird Day's website.
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May 2, 2011 Listen to Dee Boersma talk about Galapagos penguins and the "condos" she built for them on NPR's BirdNote. |
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April 29, 2011 Aghelos Kouvaras, 6, has Burkitt's lymphoma, a rare form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. While in the hospital receiving treatment, he read about penguins and became determined to help them. As he puts it, "They're cute animals and they were dying." What a succinct way to say it! Through the Wildlife Conservation's Run for the Wild benefit run, Aghelos raised money to help Magellanic Penguins at Punta Tombo. Read the full story.
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