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 University11/10/03
  
• 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 32-34F
• Water temperature 42 F
• Freshwater Pool 12 ft deep, 48,000 gallons
• Simulated daylight cycle
• Regulated diet, including vitamins and salt
  tablets
  
• 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, manufactures
  vitamin D precursors, and performs antibacterial
  functions
• 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

• Hypothesis Penguins with malfunctioning
  uropygial glands will swim less and preen more
  than unaffected birds.
  
• Study Group
• Data Collection ethogram of 36 mutually
  exclusive behaviors
  
• Investigation of Pools/Preening coding of
  relevant behaviors as dichotomous variables
  
• Total Numbers of Observations 80 hours, 1620
  data points
  

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Figure 1
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Figure 2
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OLS Regression Analysis
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Future Data Analysis

• Probit regression analysis using STATA
• Investigation of potentially influencing
  factors - age - nesting - enrichment -
  independent disorders
  
• Examine time specific behaviors

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Applications / Implications

• Identify the behaviors associated with gland
  malfunction
  
• Develop early detection techniques
• Investigate the prevalence and effects of
  uropygial gland malfunction in the wild

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Special Thanks toJohn Rowden, Yula Kapetanakos,
Rob Gramzay, the Central Park Zoo, and CERC
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Figure 3
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Figure 4