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Marine Ornithology 34: 71-74 (2006)
An exceptionally deep dive by a Little Penguin Eudyptula minor.
Ropert-Coudert, Y., Chiaradia, A. and Kato. A.
A female Little Penguin Eudyptula minor breeding at Phillip Island, Australia, dived to the exceptional depth of 66.7 m, as recorded in
November 2005 by a depth and acceleration data logger. The dive lasted 90 s and reached the maximum theoretical depth for a penguin
of this size. The closest maximum depth recorded for 37 other birds was 57 m, and very few penguins attained a depth of more than 50 m.
Observations of flipper-beat activity, body angle and water temperature during the course of the dive highlight several outcomes of deep
diving by Little Penguins and help explain how such deep dives are achieved.
PG06-03
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