Emperor penguin colonies in the Australian Antarctic Territory: how many are there?

Emperor penguins Aptenodytes forsteri are endemic to Antarctica. Their breeding colonies are located in the coastal areas of the continent. The precise number of breeding locations is uncertain. This paper examines what is known about the colonies in the Australian Antarctic Territory and examines which colonies are without doubt breeding locations and which ones require further examination in order to determine their existence and status. Several colonies have not been seen since they were first reported. This begs the question of whether the reported sightings were indeed of breeding colonies. Given the extent of uncertainty with regard to the number of colonies, it is suggested that the listing of the species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature be changed from ‘of least concern’ to ‘data deficient’.