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Cited by 26Avian ecology and behaviorWildlife Ecology and ConservationMarine animal studies overview

African Penguin tolerance to humans depends on historical exposure at colony level

PICHEGRU, LORIEN, EDWARDS, TREVOR B., DILLEY, BEN J., FLOWER, TOM P., RYAN, PETER G.·2016·Bird Conservation International
DOI 10.1017/s0959270915000313
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Abstract

Summary: Sustainable ecotourism requires careful management of human impacts on wildlife. Contrasting responses to the disturbance caused by ecotourism are observed across taxa and within species, because species and populations can differ in their tolerance to humans. However, the mechanisms by which tolerance develops remain unclear. Penguin colonies are popular tourist attractions. Although ecotourism increases public awareness and generates conservation income, it can also disturb penguins, raising concerns for threatened species such as the African Penguin Spheniscus demersus, whose populations are in rapid decline. We compared the tolerance of African Penguins to human disturbance across four colonies with contrasting histories of human exposure. Human approaches invoked the least response at colonies where human exposure was highest, suggesting increased human tolerance with increased exposure. The response to humans close to the nest also decreased more rapidly in highly exposed individuals within colonies. These results were consistent independent of breeding stage, and were repeated among colonies. Because the impacts of human disturbance, including temporary nest desertion, were greatest at the colony with least human exposure, human disturbance of breeding African Penguins potentially may be mitigated through increased levels of tolerance to humans, or displacement of shyer individuals, although this could not be assessed in the present study. However, human exposure could significantly increase stress, impair reproduction and even reduce genetic diversity. Consequently, ecotourism must be managed carefully to minimize population level impacts, potentially by facilitating habituation in populations subject to non-threatening human disturbance, and maintaining some areas free of disturbance to allow shy individuals to breed.

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Crossref · 10.1017/s0959270915000313

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. Burton, 1998, Can ecotourism objectives be achieved?, Ann. Tourism Res., 25, 755
  2. Nisbet, 2000, Disturbance, habituation and management of waterbird colonies, Waterbirds, 23, 312
  3. van Heezik, 1990, Effect of human disturbance on beach groups of jackass penguins, South Afr. J. Wildl. Res., 20, 89

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Authors
PICHEGRU, L., EDWARDS, T. B., DILLEY, B. J., FLOWER, T. P., & RYAN, P. G.
Affiliations
  • Nelson Mandela University (ZA)
  • University of Cape Town (ZA)
Corresponding author
PICHEGRU, LORIEN
ORCID
Venue
Bird Conservation International
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Published
2016-05-24
Volume
26
Issue
3
Pages
307-322
ISSN
  • 0959-2709 (ISSN-L)
  • 1474-0001
DOI
10.1017/s0959270915000313
OpenAlex
W2407069463
Semantic Scholar
b14520a2c14b26a0ef2c4aae428030f157fae08e
Cited by
26
References
61
Citations by year
2025: 6 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 4 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 1
FWCI
2.04
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified)
Locations
  • Bird Conservation International (publishedVersion)
  • Nelson Mandela University Research Repository (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
  • University of Cape Town
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Avian ecology and behavior
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Marine animal studies overview
Keywords
African penguin, Spheniscus demersus, human disturbance tolerance, ecotourism impacts, nest abandonment, habituation, breeding stage, endangered species conservation, wildlife tourism management

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