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Magellanic penguins in Argentina served as sentinels of their own environment by wearing chemical-detecting leg bands for a few days during their breeding season in a UC Davis and SUNY-Buffalo study. (Ralph Vanstreels/UC Davis) Penguins living along the Patagonian coast of Argentina can serve as living monitors of their environment by using small, chemical-detecting leg bands, according to a study from the University of California, Davis, and the State University of New York at Buffalo. For the proof-of-concept study, published in the journal Earth: Environmental Sustainability, UC Davis scientists outfitted 54 Magellanic penguins with silicone passive samplers placed gently around their legs for a few days during the 2022-24 breeding seasons. The sensors safely absorbed chemicals from the water, air and surfaces the penguins encountered while the unwitting "toxicologists" foraged to feed their chicks. Close-up of a penguin's feet standing on rocky ground. A chemical-sensing, silicone passive sampler is worn as an ankle band on this penguin in Argentina. (Ralph Vanstreels/UC Davis) Once retrieved, the samplers were sent to University at Buffalo-SUNY for testing, which revealed that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) -- often called "forever chemicals" -- were detected in more than 90% of the bands, even in this remote region. "The only way we've had of measuring pollutant exposure in the past is by getting blood samples or feathers," said co-corresponding author Ralph Vanstreels, a wildlife veterinarian with the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center within the UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine. "It's exciting to have something that is only minimally invasive. The penguins are choosing the sample sites for us and letting us know where it's important to monitor more deeply. As the animals go about their business, they're telling us a lot about the environment they're experiencing." A baby penguin cuddles against an adult penguin in a sandy habitat. An adult Magellanic penguin stands with its chick during breeding season in Argentina. (Ralph Vanstreels/UC Davis) Testing revealed a mixture of older legacy pollutants, as well as chemicals that replaced phased-out PFAS. "By using a non-invasive sampling approach, we were able to detect a shift from legacy PFAS to newer replacement chemicals in the penguins' environment over time," said senior author Diana Aga, a SUNY distinguished professor in the Department of Chemistry at University at Buffalo. "The presence of GenX and other replacement PFAS -- chemicals typically associated with nearby industrial sources -- shows that these compounds are not staying local but are reaching even the most remote ecosystems. This raises important concerns that newer PFAS, despite being designed as safer alternatives, are still persistent enough to spread globally and pose exposure risks to wildlife." Two researchers in field gear attending to a bird in a natural setting. Researchers deploy a chemical-sensing ankle band on a Magellanic penguin in Argentina. (Ralph Vanstreels/UC Davis) A gloved hand holds a bird's foot, showcasing a band attached to its leg. Close-up of a chemical-sensing ankle band, or silicone passive sampler, on a penguin. (Ralph Vanstreels/UC Davis) Chemicals and conservation The study provides an efficient, practical means of tracking the locations and times of chemical exposure, particularly in hard-to-sample aquatic environments. The authors envision the method being used to identify pollution exposure from oil spills, shipwrecks and other industrial sources. "Moving forward, we'd like to increase our environmental detectives by expanding to different species," Vanstreels said, adding that they next plan to test the method on cormorants, which can dive to depths of more than 250 feet. "By turning penguins into sentinels of their environment, we have a powerful new way to communicate issues relevant for wildlife health and more broadly for the conservation of marine species and our oceans," said co-author Marcela Uhart, director of the Latin America Program within the UC Davis Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center. Close-up of a penguin with a black and white head, looking slightly upward. Magellanic penguins, like this one in Argentina, showed that penguins can help monitor their own environments by wearing small, retrievable leg bands that collect information about pollution they encounter. (Ralph Vanstreels/UC Davis) Additional co-authors include first author Paige Montgomery and Katarzyna Kordas from University at Buffalo-SUNY; and Luciana Gallo, Gabriela Blanco and Flavio Quintana from Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas in Argentina (CONICET). The study was funded by the Houston Zoo. Media Resources * Kat Kerlin, UC Davis News and Media Relations, 530-750-9195, kekerlin@ucdavis.edu * Tom Dinki, University at Buffalo Office of University Communications, tfdinki@buffalo.edu, 716-645-4584 Press kit of images. Available for download with credit. Primary Category Advancing Health Worldwide Secondary Categories Environment Human & Animal Health One Health Science and Climate Tags Penguins Argentina Ralph Vanstreels Marcela Uhart Wildlife Health Center One Health Institute School of Veterinary Medicine Chemistry UC Davis * UC Davis Health * Veterinary Medicine * UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education * UC Davis Stores * UC Davis Arts * UC Davis Mobile Apps * Hiring UC Davis Students and Alumni * Make a Gift to UC Davis Students * Orientation * Student Resources * Graduate Students * Student Parents * Commencement * Career Center * Jobs and Internships * Parents Alumni * Cal Aggie Alumni Association * Career Connections * Member Benefits * Transcripts * UC Davis Magazine Faculty * Resources * Teaching * Research * Benefits * Faculty Governance Staff * Resources * Training * Benefits * Jobs * Staff Assembly * Website Feedback UC Davis footer logo University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 | 530-752-1011 * Questions or comments? * Privacy & Accessibility * Principles of Community * University of California * Last update: April 8, 2026 Copyright (c) The Regents of the University of California, Davis campus. 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