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Estimating rat predation on Humboldt Penguin colonies in north-central Chile

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Abstract

Rats (Rattus spp.) are among the most successful alien predators brought to islands by humans and have had devastating impacts on numerous seabird populations, but studies demonstrating rates of consumption and ecological impacts on penguins are scarce and mostly based on anecdotal evidence. We investigated the effects of rat predation on Humboldt Penguins (Spheniscus humboldti) by simulating unattended clutches with domestic Chicken eggs. Experiments were independently set at two Humboldt Penguin colonies in north (Pájaros Island, 29°S) and central Chile (Algarrobo Island, 33°S). At both colonies, eggs were primarily predated by rats (Rattus rattus = 70.8 % at Pájaros and Rattus norvegicus = 52.6 % at Algarrobo), and secondarily by Kelp Gulls (Larus dominicanus = 9.7 % at Pájaros and 15.8 % at Algarrobo). Significantly more eggs were predated at night. At both colonies, rates of rat and gull predation were highest within the first 12 h. Our study constitutes the first quantification of rats as important alien predators at Humboldt Penguin colonies. We suggest that rat presence at Humboldt Penguin colonies coupled with events that can cause temporary nest abandonment, such as human perturbation and El Niño events, may impact on the species’ breeding success. Eradication of rats is suggested to improve the nesting habitat of this and other threatened and endemic seabird species in the region.

Zusammenfassung

Wie sehr räubern Ratten in Kolonien des Humboldt-Pinguins ( Spheniscus humboldti ) in Nord- und Zentral-Chile

Ratten (Rattus spp.) gehören zu den erfolgreichsten Räubern, die von Menschen auf Inseln eingeschleppt wurden, und sie hatten bereits verheerende Auswirkungen auf viele Seevögel-Populationen; dennoch liegen nur wenige Untersuchungen über den Grad der Vernichtung und der ökologischen Folgen für Pinguine vor und gehen in der Regel über anekdotische Belege hinaus. Wir untersuchten die Auswirkungen des Räuberns von Ratten unter Humboldt-Pinguinen (Spheniscus humboldti), indem wir mit Eiern von Haushühnern unbewachte Gelege vortäuschten. Die Experimente wurden unabhängig voneinander in zwei Kolonien von Humboldt-Pinguinen in Nord- (Pájaro-Inseln, 29°S) und in Zentral-Chile (Algarrobo-Inseln, 33°S) durchgeführt. In beiden Kolonien wurden die Eier in erster Linie von Ratten (Rattus rattus = 70.8 %, Pájaro-Inseln, und Rattus norvegicus = 52.6 %, Algarrobo-Inseln) und an zweiter Stelle von Dominikanermöwen (Larus dominicanus = 9.7 %, Pájaro- und 15.8 %, Algarrobo-Inseln) erbeutet. Nachts wurden deutlich mehr Eier geraubt, und in beiden Kolonien erbeuteten sowohl die Ratten, als auch die Möwen die meisten Eier in den ersten 12 Stunden. Unsere Studie ist die erste quantitative Untersuchung zu Ratten als wichtigem eingeschlepptem Räuber in Kolonien von Humboldt-Pinguinen. Das Auftreten von Ratten in Kolonien des Humboldt-Pinguins kann unseres Erachtens in Verbindung mit Ereignissen wie Störungen durch Menschen oder durch Faktoren um El Niño, die das temporäre Verlassen von Gelegen bewirken, Auswirkungen auf den Bruterfolg der Art haben kann. Wir regen die Ausrottung der Ratten dort an, um das Brutgebiet dieser und anderer einheimischer, bedrohter Seevogelarten in der Region zu verbessern.

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Acknowledgments

We are indebted to R. Wallace (Milwaukee County Zoo, Milwaukee, USA) for logistical and financial support at Algarrobo. The Consejo de Monumentos Nacionales (Ministry of Education) provided permission for field work on Algarrobo and the Cofradía Náutica del Pacífico facilitated access to the island. Martin Thiel, Vincent Bretagnolle and an anonymous reviewer made valuable comments on this manuscript. On Pájaros, field work was supported by research grant no. 1010250 provided by FONDECYT to Guillermo Luna-Jorquera. We also thank M. Bernal and E. Hanshing for their valuable help in the field. Experiments comply with the current Chilean law.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Andrés Bello, República 470, Santiago, Chile

    Alejandro Simeone

  2. Departamento de Biología Marina, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile

    Guillermo Luna-Jorquera

  3. Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas CEAZA, La Serena, Chile

    Guillermo Luna-Jorquera

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  1. Alejandro Simeone
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  2. Guillermo Luna-Jorquera
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Correspondence to Alejandro Simeone.

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Communicated by P. H. Becker.

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Simeone, A., Luna-Jorquera, G. Estimating rat predation on Humboldt Penguin colonies in north-central Chile. J Ornithol 153, 1079–1085 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-012-0837-z

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