Gentoo penguin webcam in the Antarctic now online (1 Viewer)

[apusupa]

As the result of my private initiative and with the wonderful support of my german friends (fascinated by the ecosystem of the Antarctic and penguins in general) the world's first bird webcam on the antarctic continent is now online (since 27th september 2004).

What, how and where?

A 100% weatherproof "MOBOTIX M10 Secure Dual" network cam will document the breeding activities of Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) near the German Antarctic Research Station O'Higgins (north of the antarctic peninsula). The pictures are updated every 30 minutes by satellite. The first penguins arrived in middle of october, the last ones will leave in april. The camera was sponsored by about 20 people all over germany including a very creative school class which produced some very nice handcrafts (for example very beautiful penguins). These pieces of handicraft work could be sold for ~ 350 euro (!) and the children are now very proud to have supported the worldwide first animal webcam on the antarctic continent! of course the got very interested in the Antarctic now and observe almost everyday the penguins from school!


Why this camera?

Most of us will never travel to these remote places and fascinating but highly sensitive ecosystems. Anyway I just wanted to create the chance for all interested people to observe a small spot on the antarctic peninsula. I made some advertisement on Linux-Forums (the Linux operating system has a penguin as it's symbol), especially to users of Gentoo-Linux which is a very highend solution distribution of Linux. This was maybe the first good result of this cam: to get some hardcore PC-freaks interested in nature which isn't an easy job! One Linux user supports us now with a server for our picture database.
Apart from the gentoos you can regular see Chionis Alba, White Sheatbills, strolling around.

I wish you interesting observations |=)| of this place so far from our home!

Sometimes you can see not much on the webcam pic. Reasons might be:
1. Snow in combination with storm/hurricane (occures very often!) has covered the lens
2. Salty spray from the ocean (just a few meters apart) has left a thin layer of crystals on the lens. It disappears automatically after the next snowfall or rain (during summer)
3. It's night

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Webcam Link: Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) webcam
=====> http://www.martingrund.de/pinguine/
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++





At last 3 short time lapse videos made of the pics (some MB -- only for broadband users!)

Macromedia Flash-Animation:
[size=-1]http://www.einbecker-wetterstation.de/Videos/01.swf
http://www.einbecker-wetterstation.de/Videos/02.swf
DivX-Video:
http://www.einbecker-wetterstation.de/Videos/higgins_10_11_2004.avi[/size]

 

[James Blake]

Many thanks for setting this up and letting us know about it.

Most of us will never travel to these...highly sensitive ecosystems.

Are you suggesting that watching a webcam might be more environmentally responsible than jetting half way across the world? If you are, then I agree!

James

 

[apusupa]

Many thanks for setting this up and letting us know about it.

Are you suggesting that watching a webcam might be more environmentally responsible than jetting half way across the world? If you are, then I agree!

James

Of course it is. Just a few days ago I found a very interesting study about the impact of tourist on penguins. The article is only in german but maybe the google translation gives you an idea of the content:



Google translation

I have some bad stories heared about the chilean research station's (just next door to the germans) environmental standarts and practices which seem to be clearly against the law. many research stations seem to care almost nothing for the nature and behave like small independent kingdoms - controlled by nobody!

 

[Pinewood]

Thanks for the unique opportunities this project has provided.
Now I can watch penguins in the wild rather than visit the penguin house at the zoo.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood

 

[apusupa]

Hello Arthur,

of course such a cam can't replace the "real" observation but it works well to show some of the natural biorythm processes in the wild. The frame rate is at the moment rather low and I hope it can speeded up one day. This all depends on the good will of the stations members staff and because I am a pure laysman I have not such a big lobby to establish there without a "real scientific program". But I know now of at least three school classes which observe the penguins life regulary and write down their observations - for me this is a "grass roots scientific programm" In general it was not easy to find a station where just in the neighborhood of the buildings are regulary nesting penguins. the cam just could be fixed at the wall of one of the containers -- that's all.


There is a serie of three pics which show how sensible the penguins are and you can clearly see that it is just untrue that they don't mind people. In october when the first penguins arrived they gathered at the bottom of the radio telescope. On the 10th yu can see them standing there nonstop ---- until 2 people from the chilean base appeared -- on this pic you see the penguins walk away in a hurry -- just look here:


PIC 1
PIC 2
PIC 3

Pictures taken every 30 minutes.

I and some supporters of the cam will write a letter to the chileans to tell them how wonderful it was to respect the animals and how important it is to protect them. They just should know that from all over the world people watch this place now

 

[very boring banned member]

:clap: :clap: :clap:

Are you suggesting that watching a webcam might be more environmentally responsible than jetting half way across the world? If you are, then I agree!

Which leads into an interesting question: can I tick these birds on my list?

 

[apusupa]

is this a South Polar Skua?

A friend just told me there is a large dark bird in the webcam pic, you see him standing on the platform left. In the background there is a White Sheatbill in sight too.

Here the pic:

Is this a South Polar Skua? ====> (PIC)

Or what else could it be?

 

[Andrew Rowlands]

Looks like a skua to me, apusupa!

Andy.

 

[apusupa]

Looks like a skua to me, apusupa!

Andy.

Thank you very much Andy for your statement! That would be the first sight of Skuas in the webcam pic - great! I read they migrate northward after breeding season spending most of their time at sea. Maybe they just have returned to O'Higgins?

On the next pic there might be Kelp Gulls sitting right on the top of this technical equipment?! I have no literature about the birds of the antarctic continent/peninsula so I have to guess... The only source is this page:

http://www.antarcticconnection.com/antarctic/wildlife/


Kelp Gull?? =====> Pic

 

[Andrew Rowlands]

If the script http://www.antarcticconnection.com/antarctic/wildlife/birds/gulls.shtml is correct, then it must be a Kelp Gull; things will 'hot up' as the season progresses!

Andy.

 

[James Blake]

Google translation

I have some bad stories heared about the chilean research station's (just next door to the germans) environmental standarts and practices which seem to be clearly against the law.

That's disappointing. I would have hoped being in the presence of such awesome wilderness would have led to some reverence.

 

[apusupa]

Second webcam online

Since this week we have a second webcam online. Now you have a real close look on the incubating birds...:

http://www.martingrund.de/pinguine/pinguincam2.htm


Here a few nice webcam shots from the last days:
http://www.martingrund.de/pinguine/detailseiten/biologie/chionis_alba01.htm


All the best!
Apusupa