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Reproductive skipping behaviour in the African penguin (Spheniscus demersus)
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  • Freddie Leith,
  • Jenny Grigg,
  • Barbara Barham,
  • Peter Barham,
  • Katrin Ludynia ,
  • Cuan McGeorge,
  • Andile Mdluli,
  • Nola Parsons,
  • Lauren Waller,
  • Richard Sherley
Freddie Leith
University of Exeter Centre for Ecology and Conservation

Corresponding Author:fwl202@exeter.ac.uk

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Jenny Grigg
University of Exeter Centre for Ecology and Conservation
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Barbara Barham
Penguin Datasystems
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Peter Barham
University of Bristol
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Katrin Ludynia
Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds
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Cuan McGeorge
Stony Point Nature Reserve
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Andile Mdluli
Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds
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Nola Parsons
Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds
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Lauren Waller
University of the Western Cape
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Richard Sherley
University of Exeter
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Abstract

In long-lived species, reproductive skipping is a common strategy whereby sexually mature animals skip a breeding season, potentially reducing population growth. This may be an adaptive decision to protect survival, or a non-adaptive decision driven by individual-specific constraints. Understanding the presence and drivers of this behaviour is key to effective population management, yet in many species such as the endangered African penguin (Spheniscus demersus), these factors remain unknown. This study uses multistate mark-recapture methods to estimate African penguin survival and breeding probabilities at two colonies between 2013 and 2020. Overall, survival was higher at Stony Point (0.82) than Robben Island (0.77). Inter-colony differences were linked to food availability; under decreasing sardine (Sardinops sagax) abundance, survival decreased at Robben Island and increased at Stony Point. Additionally, reproductive skipping was evident across both colonies; at Robben Island ~22% of breeding individuals skipped reproduction each year, versus ~10% at Stony Point. Penguins skipping reproduction had a lower probability of future breeding than breeding individuals; this lack of adaptive benefit suggests reproductive skipping is driven by individual-specific constraints. Lower survival and breeding propensity at Robben Island places this colony in greater need of conservation action. However, further research on the drivers of inter-colony differences is needed.
10 Mar 2022Submitted to Ecology and Evolution
11 Mar 2022Submission Checks Completed
11 Mar 2022Assigned to Editor
23 Mar 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
15 Apr 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
03 May 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
21 Jul 20221st Revision Received
22 Jul 2022Submission Checks Completed
22 Jul 2022Assigned to Editor
22 Jul 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
10 Aug 2022Editorial Decision: Accept