View source for Penguin/Catalogs/Reaction of penguins to aircraft

[[Image:King-penguin.jpg|thumb|right|250px|This [[king penguin]] at [[Fortuna Bay]] on [[South Georgia]], [[United Kingdom|UK]], is probably ''not'' searching the [[sky|skies]] for [[aircraft]].]]
As millions of '''[[penguin]]s''' live alongside [[human]]s in [[Antarctica]] and around the [[Antarctic Circle]], [[research]] has been necessary to ascertain the existence of a negative '''reaction to [[aircraft]]''' amongst these [[flight]]less [[bird]]s. In turn, this has led to an often-resurrected [[urban legend]], or false story, that penguins fall over when disturbed by human activity, particularly [[aeroplane]]s.

==Penguin-toppling: origin of the urban legend==
The earliest supposed accounts of penguins being frightened by aeroplanes can be traced to the [[Falklands War]] between the [[United Kingdom]] and [[Argentina]] in 1982. During that time, warplanes of the [[Royal Air Force]] were flying regular missions into enemy-occupied territory on the [[Falkland Islands]]. At the close of hostilities, servicemen returned to the UK with tales of how penguins would watch the aircraft overhead, falling onto their backs as they strained to see.<ref>''Urban Legends Reference Pages'': '[http://www.snopes.com/critters/wild/penguin.asp Air Bowling for Penguins].'</ref> Since that time, with the RAF now operating from Falklands [[airfield]]s, two further embellishments have been added: that penguins would actually gather in fascination at the head of a [[runway]] to watch the aircraft ascend, and that after toppling over, the birds were unable to rise unassisted. The story claims that during the [[war]], [[airman|airmen]] occasionally acted as "penguin picker-uppers" and were sent to rescue the [[animal]]s.<ref>No reputable source backs this up, but [http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22penguin+picker-upper%22&btnG=Google+Search anecdotal storytelling exists on-line].</ref>

==Research by the British Antarctic Survey Group==
The story has played on and off in the [[media]] since at least the early 1990s, and represents a fine example of how a claim with elements of plausibility, combined with an apparently authoritative source, can grow in the telling. However, another reason that penguins' supposed inability to reliably stand occasionally surfaces is through reference to entirely legitimate research carried out by the [[British Antarctic Survey]] (BAS), particularly the work of Dr [[Richard Stone]] and his team on the British [[island]] of [[South Georgia]].<ref>''[[BBC]] News'': '[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/1002958.stm Navy probes penguin puzzle].' 2nd November 2000. This article misleadingly claims that the primary purpose of Dr Stone's exhibition was to investigate the penguin-toppling claim.</ref> This research came in response to fears raised at the 1999 [[Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting]] in [[Peru]] that increased aerial activity towards the [[South Pole]] could be disturbing [[wildlife]].<ref>''British Antarctic Survey'': '[http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/BAS_Science/programmes2000-2005/Independent/penguin_helos.html Ecological Effects of Helicopter Overflights on King Penguins]'.</ref> 

===Background and aims of the research===
In November 2000, Stone set out on a five-week study to establish the extent to which human activity around the Antarctic negatively affected penguins' habits. With the help of the British [[Royal Navy]]'s [[ice patrol]] vessel ''[[HMS Endurance]]'' and its pair of [[Lynx helicopter]]s, Stone's team investigated the reactions of [[king penguin]]s to the [[helicopter]]s as they flew over a [[bird colony|colony]] at varying heights. The intention was to ultimately set minimum flying [[altitude]]s for aircraft that would cause least disturbance to the native [[species]] of the region; additionally, the team would test the claim that, in these circumstances, penguins are likely to fall over.<ref>See the BAS's report, ''Ecological Effects of Helicopter Overflights on King Penguins''. </ref>

===Methodology===
The helicopters flew over a colony of about 1000 penguin pairs inhabiting [[Antarctic Bay]]; a [[control group]] of about 700 undisturbed pairs at [[Possession Bay]] was also investigated for comparison. The Navy made 17 flyovers at heights ranging from 2000 to 500 [[metre]]s (about 6500 to 1650 [[feet]]), from different directions, over four days in a total of nine. As well as taking recordings of the aircraft noise and counting the animals to determine effects on [[breeding]], the penguins' activities were recorded before, during and after each flyover using four [[video camera]]s. The footage was analysed in the BAS's [[Cambridge]], [[England]] headquarters in January 2001.<ref>As well as the BAS's ''Ecological Effects of Helicopter Overflights on King Penguins'', see also the ''Associated Press'': '[http://nucnews.net/nucnews/2001nn/0102nn/010201nn.htm#16 Penguins don't topple over watching planes ].' 1st February 2001.</ref>

===Results===
The research did indeed find unusual behaviour amongst the colony; some birds became rather quiet, while some others that were not protecting [[nest]]s walked away from the direction of the [[noise]]. However, normal activity resumed within a few minutes, and it was decided that flights above 1000 feet (about 300 metres) probably had a negligible impact on the penguins' behaviour.<ref>''British Antarctic Survey'': '[http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/News_and_Information/Stories/2000/penguin_disturbance.html Penguins do not fall over!]' 14th February 2002.</ref> Furthermore, there was no difference in [[incubation]] rates for nested eggs in the Antarctic Bay group, as compared to the Possession Bay control colony.<ref>See the ''Associated Press'' story.</ref> Finally, there was some evidence that the birds became [[habit]]uated to the flights, though flying higher did not seem to significantly reduce [[stress]].<ref>''Committee for Environmental Protection'' working paper: '[http://cep.ats.aq/cep/MediaItems/ml_376376700578704_WP026e.pdf Proposed Guidelines for the operation of aircraft near concentrations of birds].' Submitted by the United Kingdom.</ref>

===Recommendations===
Aircraft are banned from flying below 1000 metres over South Georgia, and from overflying penguin colonies at all; the team recommended that this prohibition be maintained, despite the lack of conclusive evidence for a serious negative effect. In addition, authorities have been issuing pilots with [[map]]s pointing out the colonies, so that they may be better-avoided.<ref>See the UK working paper, ''Proposed Guidelines for the operation of aircraft near concentrations of birds'', p.6.</ref>

The jocular manner in which this research has been reported in the media disguises a serious point: according to the British Antarctic Survey, penguins may experience considerable distress when subjected to the noise of low-flying aircraft. This may cause them to [[panic]] and abandon their [[egg]]s and nestlings, leaving them vulnerable to [[predator]]s and exposure.<ref>See the group's press release, ''Penguins do not fall over!''</ref> At present, no further research has been undertaken.

==Footnotes==
<div class="references-2column">
<references/>
</div>

[[Category:Biology Workgroup]]
[[Category:Media Workgroup]]
[[Category:CZ Live]]