The loss of ice in one region of Antarctica last year likely resulted in none of the emperor penguin chicks surviving in four colonies, researchers reported Thursday.
Emperor penguins hatch their eggs and raise their chicks on the ice that forms around the continent each Antarctic winter and melts in the summer months.
Researchers said it is likely that no chicks survived in four of the five breeding colonies they examined. Penguin chicks don’t develop their adult waterproof feathers until close to the time they usually fledge, in late December or January, scientists say. Fretwell’s team has also completed a preliminary analysis of known nesting sites — visible in satellite photos because of colored guano, or poop stains, left on white ice — across Antarctica, the only continent where the emperor penguin lives. There are about 300,000 breeding pairs left of the world’s largest penguins.Of 62 known penguin colonies, around 30% were harmed by low sea-ice levels last year — and 13 likely failed entirely, Fretwell said.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Loss of Antarctic sea ice causes catastrophic breeding failure for emperor penguinsEmperor penguin colonies experienced unprecedented breeding failure in a region of Antarctica where there was total sea ice loss in 2022. The discovery supports predictions that over 90% of emperor penguin colonies will be quasi-extinct by the end of the century, based on current global warming trends.
Read more »
Emperor Penguin Colonies Collapse as Antarctic Sea Ice ShrinksAs breeding areas in one region disappear, adult penguins fail to reproduce.
Read more »
Loss of Antarctic ice hurting survival of emperor penguin chicks, study saysScientists say the loss of ice around Antarctica is hurting the survival of emperor penguin chicks. Emperor penguins hatch their eggs and raise their chicks on the ice that forms around the continent each winter and melts in the summer months.
Read more »
Loss of Antarctic ice hurting survival of emperor penguin chicks, study saysScientists say the loss of ice around Antarctica is hurting the survival of emperor penguin chicks.
Read more »
Loss of Antarctic ice hurting survival of emperor penguin chicks, study saysScientists say the loss of ice around Antarctica is hurting the survival of emperor penguin chicks
Read more »
Loss of Antarctic ice hurting survival of emperor penguin chicks, study saysScientists say the loss of ice around Antarctica is hurting the survival of emperor penguin chicks.
Read more »