Behavioral Indicators of Uropygial Gland Malfunction in Two Species of Captive Penguins, Pygoscelis

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Behavioral Indicators of Uropygial Gland
Malfunction in Two Species of Captive Penguins,
Pygoscelis papua and Pygoscelis antarctica

• Elizabeth VickermanEnvironmental Biology,
  Columbia University3/4/03
  
• Research Mentor John Rowden, WCS,
  jrowden_at_wcs.org
  
• Seminar Advisor Don Melnick, CERC,
  djm7_at_columbia.edu

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Penguin Exhibit at the Central Park Zoo

• Air temperature 3234F
• Water temperature 42 F
• Freshwater Pool 12 ft deep, 48,000 gallons
• Simulated daylight cycle
• Daily enrichment

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Gentoo Penguin (Pygoscelis papua)

• Home Range Antarctic peninsula to the Falkland
  islands
  
• Distinguishing Markings yellow beak and white
  stripe across crown
  
• Sexually monomorphic
• Height 2.3 ft (70 cm)
• Weight 12 lbs (5.4 kg)

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Chinstrap Penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica)

• Home Range Antarctic peninsula
• Distinguishing Markings black beak and black
  stripe across throat
  
• Sexually monomorphic
• Height 2 ft (61 cm)
• Weight 9 lbs (4 kg)

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Uropygial Gland

• Structure bilobed holocrine gland located
  dorsally on the midline of the trunk above the
  base of the pygostyle, drained by a papilla
  covered with a tuft of feathers.
• Function produces secretions that prolong the
  waterproof life of the feathers
  
• Malfunction impaction, obstruction of the
  papilla, abscess, tumors, and chronic
  dermatitis.
  
• Treatment expression or excision depending on
  the type and severity of the malfunction.
  Untreated uropygial gland malfunction can lead to
  gland rupture and death

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Research Design

• Question How does uropygial gland malfunction
  affect penguin behavior?
  
• Hypothesis Penguins with malfunctioning
  uropygial glands will swim less and preen more
  than unaffected birds
  
• Study Group 20 birds, 14 chinstrap and 6 gentoo
• Data Collection ethogram of 36 mutually
  exclusive behaviors
  
• Behavioral Categories Preens, Pools, Spatial,
  Maintenance, Agonistic, Sexual, Nesting, Vocal,
  and Human

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Table 1 Behavioral Effects of Gland Disorder
Significant to a 95 confidence interval
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Figure 1 Pooling Behavior Frequency verses
Disorder
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Figure 2 Maintenance Behavior Frequency verses
Disorder
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Figure 3 Spatial Behavior Frequency verses
Disorder
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Figure 4 Preening Behavior Frequency verses
Disorder
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Table 2 Explanatory Models of Pooling Behavior
Significant to a 95 confidence interval
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Research Conclusions

• Further Analysis
• Statistical techniques for panel data
• Summary of Results
• Pooling behavior most effected
• Preening behavior not effected
• Implications

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Special Thanks toJohn Rowden, Yula Kapetanakos,
Rob Gramzay, Don Melnick, Marina Cords, Andrew
Gelman, the Central Park Zoo, and CERC
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Table 3 Explanatory Models of Maintenance
Behavior
Significant to a 95 confidence interval