Innovating for Humboldt penguins

The group of Humboldt penguins in the Patagonia biozone is made up of 35 individuals. Since 2020, they have been taking part in a number of studies aimed at improving the monitoring of emperor and king penguin colonies in Antarctica by limiting the impact of human intervention. 

A weighing bridge has been set up in their space, and the penguins are automatically identified by the microchip they are equipped with and by a camera linked to visual recognition software. The aim is to develop a reliable method of recognising wild species using artificial intelligence, thereby avoiding the need to capture or ring them.

In addition, 6 penguins have been fitted with heart-monitoring implants and are taking part in a collaborative scientific project in partnership with the Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien of the CNRS, the Polar Biology Department of the Monaco Science Centre and Medtronics. The aim of the project is to perfect a robot rover, a technique already used in the field to approach and study colonies in Antarctica, while minimising the disruptive effect.

The zoo is an ideal place to assess the impact of the rover's presence in terms of stress, because the animals are monitored all year round (unlike in the natural environment, where they disappear for weeks at a time at sea), and their history and reactions are known to the carers. The heart monitor makes it possible to collect reliable data without capture. Penguins react differently to a robot that is 'dressed' differently, depending on its shape, colour and the season, particularly during the breeding season.