The reduced aggressiveness of south polar skuas in frequently visited areas can be interpreted as a sign of habituation.
Despite the weather, the lives of elephant seals, gentoo penguins, and skuas were recorded in rare detail.
Four sites had significant disturbance from skua activity.
Although gulls and skuas can be disturbed by visitors, there is no obvious negative effect on breeding numbers, and breeding success has not been monitored.
They were greeted on the beach by skuas and a gull.
Eggs and chicks were only shortly unprotected leading to slight temperature declines, but predation by other skuas would still be possible, although it was not observed.
Behavioural and heart-rate changes of southern giant petrels and skuas were investigated in detail in order to have a scientific basis for the revision of minimum distances to these species.
I need not stress that we are also concerned with other animals and wildlife, particularly birds such as the albatross, penguins, petrels, skuas and fulmas.
