Penguins are threatened by overfishing, oil spills, toxins from algal blooms and global warming — all of which may threaten their health, fitness and survival. We are monitoring the health of several penguin species exposed to human-caused changes in their environment with the goal of preventing population declines.
Recently, we have undertaken studies of the viral fauna of Magellanic penguins in collaboration with the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Through this partnership we have also evaluated whether parasites responsible for avian malaria, which kill many penguins undergoing rehabilitation in Brazil, might also be present in their breeding grounds along the shores of Argentina Patagonia.
Recent publications:
- Genetically diverse herpesviruses in South American Atlantic coast seabirds
- Do blood parasites infect Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) in the wild? Prospective investigation and climatogeographic considerations
Photo by Marcy Uhart
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