Validation of the stomach‐flushing technique for obtaining stomach contents of Penguins

Abstract

The efficiency of the stomach flushing technique in obtaining complete stomach contents was tested on Little, Gentoo and Rockhopper Penguins. This technique was validated by feeding the penguins known amounts of fish and subsequently flushing their stomachs after specified time intervals. Examination of the contents showed that the method is effective and offers an alternative to killing penguins in order to obtain stomach contents. The effects of different states of stomach fullness on food recovery rates highlighted the necessity for multiple flushing. Quantitative information on the effect of time between feeding and stomach flushing on the recovery rates was also obtained. Where stomach contents were relatively undigested the rate of retrieval of fish was 90–100%, but this rate decreased with time and in no cases in which stomach contents were in advanced stage of digestion was the retrieval rate higher than 80 o . Inclusion of the Gentoo and Rockhopper Penguins in the validation trials showed that the size of the penguin does not affect recovery rate.