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Biology

RECTO

RECTO studies snow petrel colonies near Princess Elisabeth Antarctica to better understand population characteristics, breeding strategies and environmental impacts.

The project, led by the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS), focuses on studying snow petrel colonies and their adaptation to the Antarctic environment. Biological samples were collected from carcasses found near the Utsteinen colony for local population DNA analysis. Additional samples were collected to investigate the presence of microplastics, pollutants and microorganisms. Behavioural and topographic observations were also conducted to better understand nest selection and breeding strategies.