The Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) breeding population at Stranger Point, King George Island (25 de Mayo), increased in number from 1965/66 until 1980/81 after which it started to decrease almost continuously up to the present. A significant decrease in the number of breeding pairs and chicks crèched was observed between 1995/96 and 2013/14 (75% and 78%, respectively), although the rate of this decrease has slowed since 2006/07. Over the last seven years, larger interannual fluctuations were recorded in the number of breeding pairs and chicks in crèches, as well in the breeding success. The values for the index of breeding success during 2007/08, 2009/10 and 2012/13 were low and this parameter showed higher temporal fluctuation in the period 2007/08 to 2013/14. The reduction in breeding success and the number of chicks reared to crèche will unfavourably impact on future population size at Stranger Point through the reduction of new recruits. Although Adélie penguin population trends on the Antarctic Peninsula are linked to the marine environment variability (i.e. reduction in sea ice affecting the availability of prey), breeding success is also influenced by the amount of snow fall which has increased in recent years.

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The Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae)is an indicator species of the state of the Antarctic marine environment and this is reflected in the size of its reproductive populations. The mean number of breeding pairs of the Adélie penguin on Penguin Point, Marambio / Seymour Island, east of the Antarctic Peninsula, in the Weddell Sea, increased by 32.4% (λ = 1.01) from 1985/1986 to 2014/2015. Although in intermediate counts, there were fluctuations in the number of couples. Variations in Adélie penguin populations may be due to natural variables such as the extent of sea ice; quantity and quality of food; winter survival of adults and juveniles; predation; among others, or due to human activities such as commercial fishing. Our study attempts to contribute to the current estimates of the reproductive population of the Adélie penguin in the region and may also contribute to the negotiations for the implementation of the marine protected area proposed in the sector.