Abstract:

Diet of South Polar and Brown skuas C. maccormicki and C.s.lonnbergi were investigated during the years of 2001—2003 in Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica. The results show that percentage components of natural food in their food composition were 63.4% for Brown skua and 77.8% for South Polar skua. Meanwhile the components of the food from station waste were 36.6% and 22.3% respectively. It is clear that foraging of skuas near Great Wall Station was dependent on both of natural resources and station garbage. This is much related to environmental status as well as management of waste material in the stations. Closed treatment technique should be used for station waste, for the benefit of Antarctic environmental protection.