From Australian Oceans Data Network
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Effects of helicopter operations on emperor penguin chicks

Created 24/06/2025

Updated 24/06/2025

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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 Not Specified
Landing Page https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/6bb7364a-14fc-49c5-9c6c-fff1fc615359
Contact Point
Australian Ocean Data Network
metadata@aad.gov.au
Reference Period 21/11/1997 - 21/11/1997
Geospatial Coverage
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
{
  "coordinates": [
    [
      [
        45.0,
        -90.0
      ],
      [
        160.0,
        -90.0
      ],
      [
        160.0,
        -60.0
      ],
      [
        45.0,
        -60.0
      ],
      [
        45.0,
        -90.0
      ]
    ]
  ],
  "type": "Polygon"
}
Data Portal Australian Oceans Data Network

Data Source

This dataset was originally found on Australian Oceans Data Network "Effects of helicopter operations on emperor penguin chicks". Please visit the source to access the original metadata of the dataset:
https://catalogue.aodn.org.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/csw/dataset/effects-of-helicopter-operations-on-emperor-penguin-chicks