Ducks in Antarctica
The story of BEN6U4
While being very diffuse in the arctic region, anatids are completely absent in the antarctic circle, with a handful of species limited to sub-polar islands (like South Georgia, Kerguelen and Campbell). Only two vagrant speciesPDF from South America were observed in the past a handful of times, probably brought by unusual sea winds.
The absence of anatids in Antarctica can be easily explained by the lack of large tundra patches where anatids would nest and feed, or possibly due to high mortality caused by predatory birds (like skua).
According to recent fossil finds, the last antarctic anatid died out in the Eemian, the last interglacial period, around 110.000 years ago. However, because of global warming, things are changing fast.
In the summer of 2093, a vagrant duck was documented by drones in the South Shetland archipelago. It was found dead after a few days on the coast of the Fildes Peninsula, partially eaten by sheathbills: the decomposing body was promptly taken and brought to a laboratory to identify the individual.
It was a yellow-billed pintail (Anas georgica), a young of the year, that was born in Cabo de Hornos National Park. The juvenile crossed alone the Southern Ocean before reaching the antarctic continent, covering a linear distance of over 800 km (about 500 miles), a record-breaking journey for a young of this species.
Between 2093 and 3000 AD, thousands of vagrant pintails were observed on the antarctic coasts, but with no prolonged presence and no sign of breeding attempts. An irregular migratory route was first described in 2910 for a small flock of pintails that periodically visit King George Island and overwinter in Tierra del Fuego.
We'll need to wait until the year 3072 for the first pintail reproduction in Antarctica by a GPS-marked couple: the male BEN6 and the female UU4. Their first clutch failed to hatch because of strong freezing winds, which destroyed the nest.
After other failed attempts, in 3074 the couple was able to successfully raise a single young female duckling, which was named BEN6U4. She was the first duck ever born in Antarctica in human time.
After becoming independent from their parents, BEN6U4 was marked with a dart-chip, a microscopic chip technology shot with drones on living organisms. Thanks to this tracker, researchers were able to follow BEN6U4's movements: the chip showed that the young pintail was able to successfully cross the Southern Ocean and reach wintering areas, located in Tierra del Fuego.
BEN6U4 eventually returned with her flock in Antarctica in the following years, mating with other individuals and raising more than 30 ducklings in her entire life.
BEN6U4 will be the turning point in the future of Antarctica, the first member of a long-lasting dynasty.
She was found while feeding on algae and invertebrates.
