Nature has published the results of studies that suggest that using flipper tags on penguins reduces survival rates and undermines the conclusions drawn from studies that use them. Yvon Le Maho at the University of Strasbourg in France, has conducted a study over the past 10 years on 50 King Penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) on Possession Island, and has found that when compared with 50 unbanded birds, those fitted with bands had around 40% fewer chicks and a 16% lower survival rate over the study period. In another study, Rory Wilson of Swansea University, UK, found that bands could also disrupt the birds’ hydrodynamics, increasing the amount of energy they require for swimming.