METHODS

The study was carried out at the Adélie Penguins’ colony at Edmonson Point (74 21'S, 165 08'E), Victoria Land, Antarctica. The colony, consisting of about 2000 nests, has been monitored since the Austral summer 94/95 (Olmastroni et al. 1998). In November 1998-January 1999, 18 pairs formed by adults which were marked with implanted transponders from the previous years were monitored daily starting from 2-3 days before egg laying. Adults were caught on the nest during incubation or guard period, blood sampled, and released in front of their nests. One to two ml of blood were drawn from the brachial or the foot intradigital vein (Samour et al. 1983). Adults were sexed by cloacal inspection and sex was later confirmed through molecular analysis (Griffiths et al. 1998, Callegarin 2000). Young were blood sampled at nest within two weeks from hatching. Observations confirmed that the pair adults fed the young. A total of 18 males, 17 females and 22 chicks were sampled. Clutch size was two for 16 pairs and one for the other two. Twelve eggs/chicks were predated before they could be sampled.