What percentage of the total food intake for immature Yellow-Eyed Penguins is made up of cephalopods like squid?
Answer
49%
The dietary needs and preferences of Yellow-Eyed Penguins change as they mature. While adults focus heavily on fish, the immature birds, those newly independent but still developing full adult foraging efficiency, show a marked reliance on cephalopods. Specifically, squid contributes nearly half of their total food intake, documented at 49%. This specialization in squid during their early years at sea suggests a necessary adaptation in either foraging technique or resource availability during this critical developmental period.
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