Viking expedition announces discovery of new penguin colony in Antarctica
Viking recently announced that its expedition assisted in the discovery of a new chinstrap penguin colony previously unknown to science at Diaz Rock near Astrolabe Island, Antarctica. This discovery will be made in January 2024 by Viking's probe. viking octantis®, We visited Astrolabe Island, a three mile long island located in Bransfield Sound on the Trinity Peninsula in Antarctica. Astrolabe Island is a chinstrap penguin colony that has not been surveyed since 1987. During the visit, visual and thermal aerial surveys were conducted by Viking's scientific partner, Oceanites, a leading field research organization in Antarctic penguin monitoring. The field survey marked the first survey of known chinstrap penguin colonies on Astrolabe Island in nearly 40 years, and in the process discovered additional colonies at Diaz Rock. Oceanites will share further details of the survey in a scientific paper to follow in due course.
Today's announcement is for all expedition voyages viking octantis And her identical sister shipviking polaris®, should provide opportunities for meaningful scientific discoveries. The discovery comes just a year after Viking published his first scientific paper. polar researchThe Norwegian Polar Institute's scientific journal follows the exploration team's encounter with a rare giant ghost jellyfish in Antarctica.
“As we enter our third season in Antarctica, we are pleased to support another important scientific advancement that will enable a deeper understanding of the region,” said Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen. “From the thoughtful design of our expedition ships, each equipped with well-equipped science laboratories, to our partnerships with the world’s most prestigious institutions, our intention has always been to provide our guests and scientists with opportunities for meaningful discovery during each voyage. Yes. . We look forward to supporting other important research opportunities for future navigation.”
Viking Exploration Team and Science Partners
Through partnerships with respected academic institutions, Viking has created a world-class science-enhancing environment in an exploration environment. During each expedition, visiting researchers from partner institutions are part of a multidisciplinary 36-person expedition team. This group of experts guides guests through meaningful scientific research, provides guidance and interpretation during shore excursions, and delivers world-class lectures.
For 30 years, Oceanites, an American non-profit field research organization, has led the monitoring of Antarctic penguins. As a science partner, Viking supports marine people's field research by mobilizing a team of penguin researchers on expedition voyages to Antarctica and providing thermal imaging cameras.
“The Antarctic Peninsula is a well-traveled and explored place, so it’s not often that we discover new penguin colonies,” said Dr Grant Humphries, Science Director at Oceanites. “Our partnership with Viking opens up new opportunities to count chinstrap penguins on Astrolabe Island for the first time since the 1980s, as well as to locate and map chinstrap penguin colonies previously unknown to us. “This work will help us better understand how Antarctic penguin population dynamics are changing in an ever-changing world.”
“Viking’s exploration ships continue to showcase the potential of reimagined ‘ships of opportunity’ and the research capabilities they can bring to scientific endeavours,” said Dr. Damon Stanwell-Smith, Viking’s head of science and sustainability. “Together with scientists from partner organizations like Oceanites, we can conduct real and meaningful research in the region. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Oceanites and other scientific partners to drive further discoveries in the future.”
In addition to Oceanites, Viking's other scientific partners include:
- Scott Polar Research Institute (SPRI), University of Cambridge: SPRI's scientists conduct field research aboard Viking's expedition ships and participate in voyages to share their expertise with guests. SPRI at the University of Cambridge played a key role in developing a science enrichment program for Viking Expeditions. He also advised the laboratory's experts on the development of scientific laboratories for Viking's exploration ships. The 380 square foot laboratory is equipped with comprehensive wet and dry laboratory facilities to support a wide range of research. Julian Dowdeswell, professor of physical geography at the University of Cambridge and former director of SPRI, chairs the Viking Research Advisory Group, a consortium of scientific leaders from Viking partner institutions actively involved in overseeing field research. Carried out on board. In 2022, Viking announced the Viking Polar Marine Geoscience Fund, which will grant the first fully funded professorship at the Scott Polar Research Institute (SPRI) at the University of Cambridge. Viking Chair in Polar Ocean and Earth Sciences. This post will enable you to develop new lines of research into the behavior of polar environments, including polar ice sheets, sea ice and ocean circulation.
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Ornithologists regularly board Viking's expedition ships to conduct postdoctoral research on new observation methods and provide advice and interaction to guests.
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL): Conduct innovative research on the dynamic environments and ecosystems of the Great Lakes and coastal regions to inform resource use and management decisions that lead to safe and sustainable ecosystems, ecosystem services, and human communities. Viking's expedition ships are designated as official NOAA/National Weather Service weather stations and launch regularly.
- Norwegian Institute of Water Resources (NIVA): NIVA's scientists are involved in an interdisciplinary research program on water-related issues. Viking's expedition ships are equipped with the NIVA “FerryBox system”, an automated oceanographic instrument that samples the marine and freshwater areas the ship sails through and provides continuous information on chlorophyll, oxygen, temperature, salinity, microplastic presence and complementary meteorological data. provide.
- UC San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography: Viking hosts Fjord Phyto, a NASA-funded program. UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography offers opportunities to engage in research and public education through new citizen science sampling of polar phytoplankton for genetic population analysis.
- IUCN Species Survival Commission Species Monitoring Expert Group: Viking is working with a group of international experts to develop a marine biodiversity monitoring system that will allow Viking expedition ships to collect valuable species population data.
- Norwegian Polar Research Institute: The licensing authority for Viking's Norwegian-flagged expedition vessels, which reviews and approves all Viking expeditionary and scientific activities in Antarctica.
viking expedition
Viking offers destination-focused expeditions in Antarctica, the Arctic, and the North American Great Lakes through its expedition fleet, which includes the Polar Class. viking octantis and viking polaris. Designed for discovery by the same team that designed award-winning Viking Longships® and ocean vessels, the 378-guest vessel is purpose-built for exploration, ideally sized for safety and comfort, and supports an unparalleled variety of activities in remote destinations do. . Featuring more indoor and outdoor viewing space than any other expedition ship, guests can get as close as possible to some of the most spectacular scenery on Earth.