Utah People's Post

The Latest News from the Beehive State

Wednesday, October 4, 2023
Log in
  • National News
    • Female Caseworker Killed & Doctor Shot in Philadelphia
  • State News
    • Car Chase Leads to Drug Arrest
  • Tech & Science
  • Health
    • How to Prepare For Ticks Season
    • Magical Weight Loss Bean Scam
  • Sports
  • Business
You are here: Home / Tech & Science / Scientists Use Fake Chick to Study Shy Penguins

Scientists Use Fake Chick to Study Shy Penguins

November 4, 2014 Posted by Staff

fake penguin chick

Emperor penguins are highly sensitive animals. When scientists attempt to personally assess the penguins’ health status, anxiety sets in, disturbing the heart rate and other important indicators. Yvon Le Maho of the University of Strasbourg in France conducted a team which came up with a method to avoid getting too close to the shy animals in Adelie Land, Antarctica.

The team constructed a rover to record data from microchips implanted under the skin of king penguins. The approach turned out to be a highly effective way of relaxing the animals. When the rover was around a king penguin, its heart beat rate was around 24, but when humans approached a penguin, the number went up to 35 on average.

“Approaching animals with a rover can reduce impact, as measured by heart rates and behaviour of king penguins, thus allowing such animals to be considered as undisturbed,” according to the authors.

The next step was to adapt the rover to interact with emperor penguins. The solution was to send a fake chick. Yes, the vicious researchers played with the penguins’ parental instincts, but it proved to be the right move. The rover managed to sneak in the group and record the data successfully. The chicks welcomed it, while the parents attempted to communicate with it.

“Chicks and adults were even heard vocalizing at the camouflaged rover, and it was able to infiltrate a crèche without disturbance,” note Yvon Le Maho and colleagues, who watched the scene from more than 600 feet away.

Designing a successful fake penguin chick is not an easy task. The first versions scared the penguins, but the team did not give up. The fifth one convinced the penguins that the rover is one of their own. In fact, researchers described that penguins saw the fake chick as a potential mate for their offspring, so they were disappointed by the lack of reaction. The rover hasn’t been designed to produce sounds, but there’s plenty of time to come up with an advanced version.

The solution resolves plenty of methodological issues. Data accuracy can easily be affected by human intrusion. With the problem virtually out of the way, other core scientific issues can be properly tackled. Moreover, the method could be used to research other animal species.

“The relevance of this technology extends beyond terrestrial populations of seabirds or mammals, as rovers could be adapted for use in aquatic or aerial environments,” the authors add.

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email

Filed Under: Tech & Science Tagged With: Antarctica, Emperor penguins, king penguins

Woman working out at the gym

Just 23% of Americans Are Working Out Enough in Their Spare Time

June 29, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Poliovirus Therapy Gives Brain Cancer Patients New Hope (Study)

June 29, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

United Airlines airplane

Passenger Mysteriously Dies on United Airlines flight Bound for Boston

June 28, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Breakfast sandwich

Here Are Some Foods No Nutritionist Would Ever Eat

June 27, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Poppy flower

UN Warns of Surge in Opium-based Drugs and Cocaine Supply

June 27, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

U.S.-Canada border

French Jogger Detained 2 Weeks for Accidentally Crossing Border

June 26, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Plus size model

Normalizing Plus Size Could Fuel Obesity Crisis (Study)

June 25, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Giant manta ray

Unique Manta Ray Nursery Spotted off Texas Coast

June 23, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

The rainbow flag

WHO Scraps Transgenderism from List of Mental Illnesses

June 22, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

456 People Dead at U.K. Hospital after Taking too Many Painkillers

June 21, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Kenyan girls dancing

Kenyans Facing Poor Nutrition as Supermarket Shopping Is on the Rise

June 20, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Pages

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy GDPR
  • Staff
  • Terms and Conditions

Recent Posts

  • Just 23% of Americans Are Working Out Enough in Their Spare Time
  • Poliovirus Therapy Gives Brain Cancer Patients New Hope (Study)
  • Passenger Mysteriously Dies on United Airlines flight Bound for Boston
  • Here Are Some Foods No Nutritionist Would Ever Eat
  • UN Warns of Surge in Opium-based Drugs and Cocaine Supply
  • French Jogger Detained 2 Weeks for Accidentally Crossing Border
  • Normalizing Plus Size Could Fuel Obesity Crisis (Study)

Related Articles

  • Crosses on a wall

    Religious People Live Longer, Are Less Stressed than Atheists, Study

    Jun 15, 2018
  • Antineutrino Detector

    Scientists Discover an Even More Elusive Particle than Neutrinos

    Jun 5, 2018
  • Funny Albert Einstein

    Time Travel Is Already Here

    May 30, 2018
  • Planet 2003UB313

    Scientists Found Evidence that Elusive Planet 9 May Be Real

    May 18, 2018
  • Kuiper Belt Object

    This Asteroid in Kuiper Belt Is Nothing Scientists Have Seen Before

    May 11, 2018
  • Elephant raising its trunk

    Elephants Communicate with Their Feet, Scientists Confirm

    May 9, 2018
  • Starbucks store

    Black Men Settle for $1 Each after Racist Arrest at Starbucks

    May 3, 2018
  • Tech addiction

    Facebook Pioneers Forming Coalition to Lobby Against Tech Addiction

    Feb 5, 2018
  • Kaspersky Co-founder Natalia Kasperskaya

    Kaspersky Boss: Bitcoin Was Created by U.S. Govt to Fund CIA’s Black Ops

    Feb 1, 2018
  • Amazon Go shopper

    Amazon Gets Rid of Cashiers at Its Check-Out Free Store

    Jan 30, 2018

Categories

  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Health
  • National News
  • Nature
  • Provo
  • Salt Lake News
  • Science
  • Sports
  • State News
  • Tech & Science
  • Technology
  • Uncategorized
  • West Jordan
  • West Valley City
  • World

Copyright © 2023 utahpeoplespost.com

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · Site Map · Contact