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Got Krill?

Gentoo penguins and WHOI biologist Peter Wiebe share a common interest in Antarctica: krill.  The tiny, shrimp-like crustaceans are food for the penguins and were the object of a month-long study (pdf) by Wiebe and colleagues in November 2011. The scientists’ goal was to better understand the distribution and abundance of krill, as well as salps and other zooplankton, that form the base of the Antarctic food web. This trio of gentoo penguins, spotted on a small iceberg in Flandres Bay, appeared curious about Wiebe and his group. As the group drew near, however, the penguins moved away. (Photo by Peter Wiebe, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)