Mortality in little penguins (Eudyptula minor) along the coast of Victoria, Australia.

Abstract

Forty-eight little penguins (Eudyptula minor) consisting of 21 (43.7%) mature, 18 (37.5%) juvenile and nine (18.7%) of undetermined age, from 10 Victorian coastal localities were examined during 1977-78. Thirty-seven (77%) of all penguins were in poor body condition with moderate to heavy burdens of internal and external parasites. Acute parasitic gastric ulceration with accompanying hemorrhage, was implicated in the death of four birds. Chronic gastric ulcers were thought to have caused appetite depression and starvation in 28 birds. Other significant lesions encountered included renal coccidiosis, parasitic cholangiohepatitis and pulmonary aspergillosis. It is suggested that the increased mortality experienced during 1977-78 was due to starvation or to exacerbation of the effects of existing parasite burdens on starving and exhausted birds.