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The Significance of Royal Penguins In the Ecosystem

On Macquarie, Bishop and Clerk islands south of Australia, royal penguins live in small colonies. The royal penguins breed on the islands, leaving after the chicks are big enough to go to sea, usually in May. They roam in the southern waters from Antarctica to Tasmania until they return to breed in October. They are excellent swimmers and using their streamlined bodies can dart through the water at speeds around 20 miles per hour.

Characteristics
- Royal penguins, or Eudyptes schlegeli are members of the crested penguin group and they have crests like feathers on their head. The feathers are yellow orange and black and extend to behind the eyes. The color of their chins is different from Macaroni penguins. Royal penguins have a pale-white to gray chin, while Macaroni penguins have chins that are predominately black. Royal penguins are also smaller than Macaroni penguins. Royal penguins were harvested for their oil between 1879 to 1919 but today they are not a threatened species. Since the ban on killing them was issued in 1919, their numbers have climbed.
Pelagic Zone
- Royal penguins spend most of their lives in the pelagic zone. This zone is sometimes called the open-ocean zone and differs from the water near the coast on the continental shelf or coastal plain. Royal penguins eat crustaceans and fish caught by pursuit-diving, normally at depths of 50 to 150 feet. Most of the crustaceans are krill, which are found in abundance in pelagic waters.
Natural Enemies
- Whales, seals and sea lions are natural predators of royal penguins. According to Antarctic Connection. com, the number of penguins in the world has increased in part because due to overharvesting of whales. Reduced competition from whales has led to increased populations of krill, which are one of the main food sources of royal penguins. Penguins have few predators on land, though their eggs and chicks are eaten by seabirds such as skuas, giant petrels and wekas. Thus, the number of royal penguins can affect the number of seabirds in an area.
Role in the Ecosystem
- Reduction of top predators from a marine ecosystem leads to an imbalance that affects the whole food chain. The reduction in the number of whales has led to an increase of krill, jellyfish and in the prevalence of toxic plankton blooms. Royal penguins play a role in making sure that the balance is not further disturbed by consuming krill. They play another role in the ecosystem's balance by providing a food source for whales, seals and sea lions.

Animals & Science