From Australian Oceans Data Network

Effects of helicopter operations on emperor penguin chicks

Created 12/03/2025

Updated 12/03/2025

Creching emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) chickswere exposed to two overflights by an S-76 twin engine helicopter at 1000 m: a current operational guideline for helicopter activity in Antarctica. The flights were conducted on the same day but under different wind conditions: a morning flight with a 10 kt (18 km.hr-1) katabatic blowing perpendicular to the direction of helicopter travel and an afternoon flight with virtually no wind. Background noise levels recorded in the morning, before the helicopter flight, were significantly higher than in the afternoon, but these differences were not detectable when the helicopter was overhead. There were also no significant differences in the way chicks responded to helicopters between the morning and afternoon flight. All chicks became more vigilant when the helicopter approached and 69% either walked or ran, generally moving less than 10 m toward other chicks (i.e. not scattering). Most chicks (83%) displayed flipper-flapping, probably indicating nervous apprehension. This behaviour was seldom displayed in the absence of disturbance. Although all effects were relatively transitory, results support the introduction of more conservative guidelines for helicopter operations around breeding localities of this species. The fields in this dataset are: Time Action Date Lying Standing Walking Preening Flapping

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Additional Info

Field Value
Title Effects of helicopter operations on emperor penguin chicks
Language eng
Licence notspecified
Landing Page https://devweb.dga.links.com.au/data/dataset/1d48d91a-43c9-47b8-82f4-3fc951987eaf
Contact Point
CSIRO Oceans & Atmosphere
metadata@aad.gov.au
Reference Period 21/11/1997 - 21/11/1997
Geospatial Coverage {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[45.0, -90.0], [160.0, -90.0], [160.0, -60.0], [45.0, -60.0], [45.0, -90.0]]]}
Data Portal data.gov.au

Data Source

This dataset was originally found on data.gov.au "Effects of helicopter operations on emperor penguin chicks". Please visit the source to access the original metadata of the dataset:
https://devweb.dga.links.com.au/data/dataset/effects-of-helicopter-operations-on-emperor-penguin-chicks