LAND
Estimatedly tens of thousands of Emperor penguin chicks may have died due to declining sea ice
Estimatedly tens of thousands of Emperor penguin chicks may have died due to declining sea ice
The decline in Antarctica's sea ice has sparked grave concerns over the fate of vulnerable species and the stability of the region. This troubling trend signals a shift toward an increasingly precarious state for Antarctica's ecosystem. Most emperor penguin colonies rely on stable land-fast sea ice for breeding and molting. Also, they use the marginal ice zone for foraging. They typically arrive at breeding sites between late March and April, laying eggs from May to June. Chicks hatch after approximately 65 days, and fledging occurs during December and January. Therefore, stable land-fast ice from April to January is crucial for successful breeding and survival.
In 2023, 14 out of Antarctica's 66 emperor penguin colonies experienced devastating losses as the extent of sea ice in Antarctica reached record lows, largely due to the effects of climate change-induced warming. It is estimated that tens of thousands of chicks may have perished as a result. Disturbing projections indicate that without intervention, emperor penguins could face extinction by the end of the century.
April 2024
Reference
https://www.reuters.com/.../emperor-penguins-suffered.../