Penguin population models for Robben Island

A strong link between adult penguin survival rates and sardine abundance off Cape Agulhas has been identified on Robben Island. The study, using moult count data, demonstrates that the reproductive success and survival of penguins are significantly influenced by pelagic fish availability. While this initial model provides valuable insights, challenges arise when applying Bayesian estimation due to biological constraints on demographic parameters. Future work aims to refine these models by incorporating a beta distribution and additional population data to improve accuracy.

Robinson, W., & Butterworth, D. (2024). Penguin population models for Robben Island. University of Cape Town. https://doi.org/10.25375/UCT.25998097