We’re here on the coast of Peru, at Punta San Juan on the Proabonos guano reserve just outside of Marcona (15°22’S, 75°12’W). Guano has been harvested at this location for almost 100 years and is used as a high quality, natural fertilizer for agricultural purposes. Guano for those that may not be familiar with this term is bird poop that has accumulated on the cliffs and bluffs along the coast, left behind from the millions of sea birds that live and breed here year round. Guano has played an important role in Peruvian history; it has been a strong element in its economy (the strongest in the year 1840 through 1880), until it collapsed because of an irrational and unsustainable approach to its exploitation. Since then it has been harvested intermittently on a rotating basis with as many as 5-13 years between harvests. This allows sufficient guano to accumulate for a productive harvest and at the same time also provides natural and almost pristine coastline to the wildlife in this ecosystem.
Increasingly the guano harvests have taken place in more frequent intervals depleting the substrate many sea birds depend on to nest in. One of the most impacted species on the 54 square hectares that make up PSJ is the Humboldt penguin. This non-flighted bird has evolved in this habitat for many thousands of years. And unlike many of the other sea birds that make their nests on top of the guano, the Humboldt penguin actually digs its nesting burrows into the guano. This provides their eggs and chicks a unique environment that allows them to thrive this harsh environment.There is an 1.2 km long, 12 foot high concrete wall that traverses this point of coastline that protects the many species of birds and pinnipeds that call Punta San Juan home by preventing human encroachment and predators from disturbing the 18 beaches that make up the reserve.
The waves are crashing and the birds calling as we pack up our gear just after sunrise. Looking over the Pacific Ocean, I can see three small local fishing boats already staking out prime fishing locations just off the beach. The fishermen, like the wildlife found along Peru’s coast, depend on the rich abundance of anchovies that live in the cold water that runs up along the coast of South America as part of the Humboldt Current, because the fish they are fishing for also feed on the Anchoveta. It is because of the high productivity and abundance of fish in these frigid waters that so many birds and marine mammals have made PJS their home.
A group of 12 of us loaded our gear into two trucks and slowly drove across the reserve to beach S4, one of my favorites where Inca terns are constantly flying overhead and calling to one another. This morning we had some special guests along with us as well as several volunteers that have helped us with the project during previous visits. Nadine Kuhn and Gorka Sistiaga are part of film crew producing a series of documentaries (Sentinelles de la Nature) for French television (Ushuaia TV) on wildlife and conservation projects world wide. Their latest assignment has brought them to PSJ and they are excited to be able to film our field work first hand. In addition, we are joined by Drs. Vanessa Bachmann and Wendy Flores Saavedra, both Peruvian veterinarians interested in wildlife medicine.We stop the vehicles several hundred feet from the edge of a cliff. Each of us loaded with equipment, start to walk slowly toward the edge of the bluff and then single file down to the beach. We hug the side of the cliff as not to disturb the penguins, cormorants and sea lions on the beach ahead of us. No sooner do we set our gear down and Marco signals that they have located a penguin burrow with a parent sitting on eggs. Our first penguin (ID 005) of the day is one that we had in hand last June. Mike and I were both rather surprised. We had hoped but neither one of us expected, with such a large Humboldt population at PSJ, to get our hands on any of the same birds as last year. This is significant as we hope to be able to monitor changes in the disease trends over time to evaluate how this may be affecting the population as a whole.
The morning flew by and we successfully sampled 16 penguins amongst the rock and guano burrows. Each nest had 1-2 eggs. Unlike last year we are here about 6 weeks earlier so it is unlikely that we will encounter any chicks but it would be a real treat if we do. In between birds, we took a few minutes to show our Peruvian & French colleagues what each part of the sample collection would be used for. The swabs for Chlamydiophila testing, blood for a CBC/chemistry panel, serological disease survey, genetic sexing and nutritional studies as well as I-STAT testing for ionized calcium values.
At about 1 pm we head back to the lab to start processing samples. Blood tubes get spun, slides get made and stained, WBC, PCV & TP are all done by about 6 pm thanks to everyone’s help. We finish by restocking our supplies and are ready for day 2 in the field. Mike and I hoping things go as well as today.
Jennifer Langan, DVM, DACZM
Veterinarian – Chicago Zoological Society & University of Illinois
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