<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/25/emperor-penguins-thousands-of-chicks-in-antarctica-likely-died-due-to-record-low-sea-ice-levels>
"Thousands of emperor penguin chicks across four colonies in Antarctica are
believed to have died because of record-low sea ice levels that caused a
“catastrophic breeding failure” in late 2022, according to new research.
Analysis of satellite images showed the break-up of usually stable sea ice and
the disappearance of the colonies at a time when chicks had not yet grown their
waterproof feathers.
Scientists have said emperor penguins face an uncertain future under global
heating because they are so reliant on sea ice, which is projected to decline
as the world’s oceans heat up.
The breeding failures in the Bellingshausen Sea were “without precedent”, the
research said, as it was the first time multiple colonies across a large region
had all failed in a single season.
“It’s a grim story,” said Dr Peter Fretwell, a researcher with the British
Antarctic Survey and the lead author of the research. “I was shocked. It’s very
hard to think of these cute fluffy chicks dying in large numbers.
“We had predicted it for a long time. The sea ice loss has been unprecedented
and far quicker than we imagined.”
Antarctic sea ice shrank to a record low in February, which followed a record
low the year before, in events that have shocked scientists."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
