Emperor penguins show dramatic decline in one region of Antarctica, satellite photos show
WASHINGTON — The population of emperor penguins in one part of Antarctica appears to be declining faster than previously thought, according to a new analysis of satellite imagery released Tuesday.
The estimated population of 16 penguin colonies — visible in satellite photos taken between 2009 and 2024 — had declined 22% during that period mainly because of climate change that's shrinking the amount of available sea ice. It's unclear whether this drop is seen across the continent, scientists said.
'Sea ice is very important for the penguins because they breed on sea ice and forage on sea ice,' said Peter Fretwell with British Antarctic Survey, who helped analyze the data.
Scientists previously estimated that the total emperor penguin population declined about 10% across all of Antarctica over the past decade and a half. The latest survey included a region covering the Antarctic Peninsula, Weddell Sea and Bellingshausen Sea.
'It's absolutely alarming that the numbers are so much worse than predicted,' said Daniel Zitterbart, a penguin researcher at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, who was not involved in the study.
There are uncertainties in the latest estimate. The analysis relies on a calculation of how densely the penguins are clustered in each area where they're detected in a single satellite photo taken each year.
The colonies studied represent about 30% of the total emperor penguin population, which lives only in Antarctica. The loss of stable sea ice may be affecting the penguins in ways beyond shrinking their breeding grounds.
'More predators like leopard seals and orcas may be able to come in closer to the colonies if sea ice breaks up earlier in the year,' said Fretwell.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC News
2 days ago
- NBC News
Emperor penguins show dramatic decline in one region of Antarctica, satellite photos show
WASHINGTON — The population of emperor penguins in one part of Antarctica appears to be declining faster than previously thought, according to a new analysis of satellite imagery released Tuesday. The estimated population of 16 penguin colonies — visible in satellite photos taken between 2009 and 2024 — had declined 22% during that period mainly because of climate change that's shrinking the amount of available sea ice. It's unclear whether this drop is seen across the continent, scientists said. 'Sea ice is very important for the penguins because they breed on sea ice and forage on sea ice,' said Peter Fretwell with British Antarctic Survey, who helped analyze the data. Scientists previously estimated that the total emperor penguin population declined about 10% across all of Antarctica over the past decade and a half. The latest survey included a region covering the Antarctic Peninsula, Weddell Sea and Bellingshausen Sea. 'It's absolutely alarming that the numbers are so much worse than predicted,' said Daniel Zitterbart, a penguin researcher at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, who was not involved in the study. There are uncertainties in the latest estimate. The analysis relies on a calculation of how densely the penguins are clustered in each area where they're detected in a single satellite photo taken each year. The colonies studied represent about 30% of the total emperor penguin population, which lives only in Antarctica. The loss of stable sea ice may be affecting the penguins in ways beyond shrinking their breeding grounds. 'More predators like leopard seals and orcas may be able to come in closer to the colonies if sea ice breaks up earlier in the year,' said Fretwell.
ITV News
2 days ago
- ITV News
ITV News in Antarctica: Scientists fear Emperor penguins could be extinct by end of the century
ITV News Science Correspondent Martin Stew is the only journalist on board the British research ship the RRS Sir David Attenborough, as it takes part in an expedition deep within the Antarctic Circle They are the largest and most iconic penguins in Antarctica - but scientists from the British Antarctic Survey fear that Emperor penguins could be on the brink of extinction by the end of the century. Emperor penguins rely on sea ice to breed. It needs to be stable for around several months. If it breaks up before chicks can swim, they will drown. The extent of sea ice has declined by 1.5 million square kilometres over the past 30 years - that's an area six times the size of the UK. This decline is a result of warming oceans. Because Emperor penguins live in such remote areas, the only way to track their numbers is through satellite imagery of colonies from space. They can be spotted by the tell-tale staining on the ice caused by penguin droppings. A new analysis of up-to-date satellite imagery suggests that the birds' numbers have declined by 22% in the northwest section of Antarctica over the last 15 years. This is an increase from a 9.5% reduction across the entire continent between 2009 and 2018. Dr Peter Fretwell, who works for the British Antarctic Survey, explained that more research is needed to determine whether this decline in the northwest is reflected across the continent. "If it is,' he told me, 'that's worrying because the decline is worse than the worst-case projections we have for Emperor penguins this century." The area covered by these recent findings is 2.8 million square kilometres - 11 times the size of the UK. It is significant because it contains 30% of the world's Emperor penguin population. Dr Phil Trathan, co-author and emeritus fellow at BAS, stated: "The fact that we're seeing this decline faster than computer models predicted means there must be other factors at play besides the loss of breeding habitat. "The only way we'll see a population turnaround is if we stabilise greenhouse gas emissions. "If we don't, we'll probably have relatively few Emperor penguins left by the end of this century." Interestingly, there has also been a decline in areas where sea ice has not diminished. The report highlights other factors, including changing storm, snow, and rainfall patterns; increased competition for food resources; and open ocean conditions that make penguins more vulnerable to predators like orcas and seals.
ITV News
4 days ago
- ITV News
Antarctica: A journey to the end of the earth to find answers about our planet's future
ITV News Science Correspondent Martin Stew reports from deep within the Antarctic Circle. I'm the only journalist on board the RRS Sir David Attenborough, deep within the Antarctic Circle. No British research ship has ventured this far south, this late in the winter, since Shackleton's ill-fated Endurance expedition. History buffs will know that story didn't end well. Shackleton's ship was crushed by ice in the Weddell Sea, leaving his crew stranded for nearly two years, surviving on the ice and living off seal meat. The fact that our journey south has been plain sailing through waters that, by rights, should be frozen solid is a stark warning of how rapidly our climate is changing. Staring out into this frozen wilderness feels a world away from the UK's summer, but the scientists I'm travelling with insist we're far more connected than you might think. The Southern Ocean captures vast quantities of carbon and heat, and it helps drive global currents, including the Gulf Stream. Meanwhile, the sea ice surrounding Antarctica acts like a giant mirror, reflecting the sun's heat. And then there's the very real issue of rising sea levels. Antarctica holds two-thirds of the world's fresh water. For years, it was considered relatively stable — a vast, ancient ice sheet that wouldn't melt for millennia. But in recent decades, both landscapes and scientific opinions have shifted dramatically. The Antarctic Peninsula, which stretches towards Chile, is now warming faster than anywhere else in the Southern Hemisphere. The fear is that this alarming trend will spread across the entire continent — a land mass nearly twice the size of Europe. You might know the RRS Sir David Attenborough better by its famously suggested nickname, Boaty McBoatface — the humorous moniker voted for by the public. But this £200 million icebreaker is no joke. It's a serious piece of engineering, carrying some of the world's leading scientists aboard the UK's largest floating research lab. Their mission: to better understand how Antarctica's climate is changing, and what it means for the rest of the planet. Six years ago, British Antarctic Survey scientists Professor Mike Meredith and Dr Rhiannon Jones watched as three million tonnes of ice broke away from a glacier before their eyes. Now, they've returned to study how underwater tidal waves — triggered by collapses on that scale — alter the ocean and accelerate warming. Incredibly, while monitoring the same glacier, it happens again. This time, the collapse isn't as massive, but the fact it's happening in the depths of winter is even more alarming. "To stand there and see it directly in front of us was incredible," said Dr Rhiannon Jones. "It was all really unexpected, it really hit home that we're seeing some rapid changes to the region and we don't know what the consequences will be." Professor Mike Meredith said humans are to blame. "The retreat in sea ice is linked to the warming of the ocean and that's something that we know us humans are doing," he said. "The implications of this are climatic in that it effects how reflective the surface of the planet is, so the planet's now absorbing more heat from the sun than it used to. "It also removes a protective barrier from around Antarctica that can actually contribute to the destabilisation of the ice sheets." Releasing vast quantities of ice into the ocean on this scale can directly impact global sea levels. The latest models from researchers at the University of Durham suggest the amount of ice lost from polar ice sheets has quadrupled since the 1990s. We're currently losing around 270 billion tonnes of ice every year. Even if we managed to limit global warming to 1.5°C — which, at present, we're not on track to do — sea levels will still be rising at a rate that will be difficult to manage by the end of the century. According to Professor Chris Stokes: 'People need to be aware that sea level rise is likely to accelerate to rates that will be very difficult to adapt to — rates of one centimetre per year are not out of the question within the lifetime of our young people.' Over the next fortnight, I'll be reporting live from Antarctica — bringing you not just the latest discoveries from the world of climate science, but also the personal stories of those who endure the cold, the darkness, and the isolation to study this remote, frozen continent. From the wildlife to the wilderness, I'll do my best to share with you the stark beauty of this extraordinary place. Please join me on the journey if you can.
