King penguin population on Macquarie Island recovers ancient DNA diversity after heavy exploitation in historic times

King penguin populations on Macquarie Island have recovered ancient genetic diversity within just 80 years, despite near-extinction due to historical human exploitation. This remarkable resilience is attributed to conservation efforts that enabled the population to expand and recolonize both previous and new sites. Researchers used ancient DNA methods to compare past and modern genetic diversity, revealing that current populations on northern Macquarie Island mirror historical levels of variation. The study highlights the effectiveness of conservation in restoring not only population numbers but also genetic diversity, offering a promising model for species recovery.

Heupink, T. H., van den Hoff, J., & Lambert, D. M. (2012). King penguin population on Macquarie Island recovers ancient DNA diversity after heavy exploitation in historic times. Biology Letters, 8(4), 586–589. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2012.0053