Penguins are not Eating Your Lunch

Each year, WCS scientists author or co-author nearly 300 peer-reviewed studies and papers. “WCS 3 Sentence Science” is a regular tip-sheet – in bite sized helpings – of some of this published work.

1. Researchers examined the diets of Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) at two breeding colonies in northern Argentina that were close to commercial fishing areas. 
2. They found that the diets varied with each colony and included a variety of prey species, but commercially valuable Argentine Hake (Merluccius hubbsi) and Argentine Shortfin Squid (Illex argentinus) were not widely consumed. 
3. These findings suggest a low trophic overlap with commercial fisheries, and helps further the understanding potential penguin-fishery interactions. 
WCS Media Contact:  Stephen Sautner, 7182203682, [email protected]

Study and Journal:  “Diet composition of expanding breeding populations of the Magellanic Penguin”   from  Marine Biology Research 
WCS Co-Author(s):  Pablo Yorio , WCS Argentina Program