THE DISTRIBUTION, ABUNDANCE AND POPULATION TRENDS OF GENTOO, ROCKHOPPER AND KING PENGUINS IN THE FALKLAND ISLANDS

The Falkland Islands are a globally important breeding location for se abirds, including penguins. The total breeding populations of three of the four main penguin species present in the Falklands were censused in the austral summer of 1995/96. The results for gentoo and rockhoppe r penguins suggest declines of about 43 and 90 per cent, respectively, since a similar census in 1932/33. Recent monitoring studies suggest that these declines are still continuing; research to investigate caus es (which is likely to reflect changes in the marine rather than terre strial environment) is a high priority. In contrast, king penguin popu lations, currently c. 400 pairs, have increased steadily, by 700 per c ent since 1980/81, in line with world-wide trends for this species.