Aitcho Islands, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica
During this morning’s visit to the Aitcho Islands, the Oceanites/Antarctic Site Inventory team on Endeavour had considerable success with its kite-assisted digital camera system. This specially designed apparatus enables Oceanites scientists to obtain high level photographs of key census locations, and to secure nest/chick counts at penguin/seabird colonies that would be otherwise impossible. This and other census data and descriptive information collected by the Inventory are used to assess and monitor whether environmental changes are occurring in the Antarctic Peninsula.
Today’s photo is of a portion of the Inventory’s “control colony” of chinstrap penguins at the Aitcho Islands, located on the high bluff overlooking the regular Zodiac landing beach at this site. Note the black dots surrounded by purple. Each blackish dot represents an active chinstrap penguin nest, with the black-backed parent penguin hunkered down and brooding its two eggs. The eggs are within a week to ten days from hatching. The whiter splotches are penguins standing in the colony, perhaps a mate returning to its nest.
This is the second season of close cooperation between the nonprofit science and education foundation Oceanites, Inc. and Lindblad Expeditions. Lindblad carries the Inventory team on the Endeavour for the entire Antarctic season. Fruitfully and uniquely, this onboard science program provides guests an up-close-and-personal opportunity to meet and work with researchers on the cutting edge of Antarctic science.
Now in its eighth season of data collection, the Antarctic Site Inventory is the only project collecting baseline data about relevant biological and physical variables at key visitor sites in the Antarctic Peninsula. These data and related site descriptions, orientation maps, and photo-documentation will enable Antarctic Treaty countries to conserve Antarctica for future generations and assist all visitors in minimizing, if not totally avoiding, potential disruptions to Antarctic Peninsula fauna and flora.
During this morning’s visit to the Aitcho Islands, the Oceanites/Antarctic Site Inventory team on Endeavour had considerable success with its kite-assisted digital camera system. This specially designed apparatus enables Oceanites scientists to obtain high level photographs of key census locations, and to secure nest/chick counts at penguin/seabird colonies that would be otherwise impossible. This and other census data and descriptive information collected by the Inventory are used to assess and monitor whether environmental changes are occurring in the Antarctic Peninsula.
Today’s photo is of a portion of the Inventory’s “control colony” of chinstrap penguins at the Aitcho Islands, located on the high bluff overlooking the regular Zodiac landing beach at this site. Note the black dots surrounded by purple. Each blackish dot represents an active chinstrap penguin nest, with the black-backed parent penguin hunkered down and brooding its two eggs. The eggs are within a week to ten days from hatching. The whiter splotches are penguins standing in the colony, perhaps a mate returning to its nest.
This is the second season of close cooperation between the nonprofit science and education foundation Oceanites, Inc. and Lindblad Expeditions. Lindblad carries the Inventory team on the Endeavour for the entire Antarctic season. Fruitfully and uniquely, this onboard science program provides guests an up-close-and-personal opportunity to meet and work with researchers on the cutting edge of Antarctic science.
Now in its eighth season of data collection, the Antarctic Site Inventory is the only project collecting baseline data about relevant biological and physical variables at key visitor sites in the Antarctic Peninsula. These data and related site descriptions, orientation maps, and photo-documentation will enable Antarctic Treaty countries to conserve Antarctica for future generations and assist all visitors in minimizing, if not totally avoiding, potential disruptions to Antarctic Peninsula fauna and flora.
