Penguins New Fashion Statement: Bad for Their Health?

A ten year research project on penguins has shown that the metal bands the scientists use to identify the penguins are harmful to the bird. The stainless steal band is placed on the top part of the flipper with an identification number on it. These bands are supposed to be helpful, but they are interfering with the penguin's health and with research. Scientists have found that the king penguins in Antarctica are producing less chicks than before they started wearing the bands. Also, the birds who have the bands are taking longer to reach their chicks with food from the ocean that they have collected, which can reduce the survival of the chick. Some penguins have a electronic chip in them, like the ones the veterinary uses to track people's cats and dogs in case they run away, but the chips do not always work. The chips do not send out a signal, but they give back a signal when a transmitter senses a chip is near.This can cause issues when scientists need to identify the penguins when they are free. If the scientists can keep the penguins in a contained environment with transmitters are laid out in different places, then the chips will be just fine in the penguins, but when the penguins are free, the chips do not work as well. But the penguins with the chips have been doing just fine and have been carrying on like nothing ever was inserted onto them.

My opinion on this subject: take the bands off. It is effecting the research and the monitoring of the penguins and to me, it is just not right. The penguins deserve as long a life as they can live and is they are living a shorter life with this band. Also, have other scientists and technologists look into improving the electronic chips. Have the chips send out a signal, so then ever penguin can just have a chip that will send out its own signal and then scientists will not have to use the bands anymore. For the sake of the penguins and the sake of the research, stop using the bands.

You can learn more about this subject at: http://sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/68666/description/Marking_penguins_for_study_may_do_harm

You can find the picture of the king penguins with the metal band at: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/download/id/68668/name/WHERES_WALDO

You can find the picture of the metal band at:
www.penguinscience.com/education/Did_You_Know_Banding.php