Emperor penguin populations shrink by almost a quarter
Emperor penguin populations in Antarctica have shrunk by almost a quarter as global warming transforms their icy habitat, according to new research on Tuesday, June 10, that warned the losses were far worse than previously imagined.
Scientists monitoring the world's largest penguin species used satellites to assess 16 colonies in the Antarctic Peninsula, Weddell Sea and Bellingshausen Sea, representing nearly a third of the global emperor penguin population.
What they found was "probably about 50% worse" than even the most pessimistic estimate of current populations using computer modeling, said Peter Fretwell, who tracks wildlife from space at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). Researchers know that climate change is driving the losses but the speed of the decline is a particular cause for alarm.
The study, published in the journal Nature Communications: Earth & Environment, found that numbers declined 22% in the 15 years to 2024 for the colonies monitored. This compares with an earlier estimate of a 9.5% reduction across Antarctica as a whole between 2009 and 2018.
Warming is thinning and destabilizing the ice under the penguins' feet in their breeding grounds. In recent years, some colonies have lost all their chicks because the ice has given way beneath them, plunging hatchlings into the sea before they were old enough to cope with the freezing ocean.
Fretwell said the new research suggests penguin numbers have been declining since the monitoring began in 2009. That is even before global warming was having a major impact on the sea ice, which forms over open water adjacent to land in the region. But he said the culprit is still likely to be climate change, with warming driving other challenges for the penguins, such as higher rainfall or increasing encroachment from predators.
"Emperor penguins are probably the most clear-cut example of where climate change is really showing its effect," Fretwell told Agence France-Presse. "There's no fishing. There's no habitat destruction. There's no pollution which is causing their populations to decline. It's just the temperatures in the ice on which they breed and live, and that's really climate change."
'Worrying result'
Emperor penguins, aka Aptenodytes forsteri, number about a quarter of a million breeding pairs, all in Antarctica, according to a 2020 study. A baby emperor penguin emerges from an egg kept warm in winter by a male, while the female in a breeding pair embarks on a two-month fishing expedition. When she returns to the colony, she feeds the hatchling by regurgitating and then both parents take turns to forage.
To survive on their own, chicks must develop waterproof feathers, a process that typically starts in mid-December. The new research uses high resolution satellite imagery during the months of October and November, before the region is plunged into winter darkness.
Fretwell said future research could use other types of satellite monitoring, like radar or thermal imaging, to capture populations in the darker months, as well as expand to the other colonies. "We really do need to look at the rest of the population to see if this worrying result transfers around the continent," he said, adding however that the colonies studied were considered representative. He said there is hope that the penguins may go further south to colder regions in the future, but added that it is not clear "how long they're going to last out there."
Computer models have projected that the species will be near extinction by the end of the century if humans do not slash their planet-heating emissions. The latest study suggests the picture could be even worse.
"We may have to rethink those models now with this new data," said Fretwell. But he stressed there was still time to reduce the threat to the penguins. "We've got this really depressing picture of climate change and falling populations even faster than we thought but it's not too late," he said. "We're probably going to lose a lot of emperor penguins along the way but if people do change, and if we do reduce or turn around our climate emissions, then then we will save the emperor penguin."
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LeMonde
3 days ago
- LeMonde
Emperor penguin populations shrink by almost a quarter
Emperor penguin populations in Antarctica have shrunk by almost a quarter as global warming transforms their icy habitat, according to new research on Tuesday, June 10, that warned the losses were far worse than previously imagined. Scientists monitoring the world's largest penguin species used satellites to assess 16 colonies in the Antarctic Peninsula, Weddell Sea and Bellingshausen Sea, representing nearly a third of the global emperor penguin population. What they found was "probably about 50% worse" than even the most pessimistic estimate of current populations using computer modeling, said Peter Fretwell, who tracks wildlife from space at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). Researchers know that climate change is driving the losses but the speed of the decline is a particular cause for alarm. The study, published in the journal Nature Communications: Earth & Environment, found that numbers declined 22% in the 15 years to 2024 for the colonies monitored. This compares with an earlier estimate of a 9.5% reduction across Antarctica as a whole between 2009 and 2018. Warming is thinning and destabilizing the ice under the penguins' feet in their breeding grounds. In recent years, some colonies have lost all their chicks because the ice has given way beneath them, plunging hatchlings into the sea before they were old enough to cope with the freezing ocean. Fretwell said the new research suggests penguin numbers have been declining since the monitoring began in 2009. That is even before global warming was having a major impact on the sea ice, which forms over open water adjacent to land in the region. But he said the culprit is still likely to be climate change, with warming driving other challenges for the penguins, such as higher rainfall or increasing encroachment from predators. "Emperor penguins are probably the most clear-cut example of where climate change is really showing its effect," Fretwell told Agence France-Presse. "There's no fishing. There's no habitat destruction. There's no pollution which is causing their populations to decline. It's just the temperatures in the ice on which they breed and live, and that's really climate change." 'Worrying result' Emperor penguins, aka Aptenodytes forsteri, number about a quarter of a million breeding pairs, all in Antarctica, according to a 2020 study. A baby emperor penguin emerges from an egg kept warm in winter by a male, while the female in a breeding pair embarks on a two-month fishing expedition. When she returns to the colony, she feeds the hatchling by regurgitating and then both parents take turns to forage. To survive on their own, chicks must develop waterproof feathers, a process that typically starts in mid-December. The new research uses high resolution satellite imagery during the months of October and November, before the region is plunged into winter darkness. Fretwell said future research could use other types of satellite monitoring, like radar or thermal imaging, to capture populations in the darker months, as well as expand to the other colonies. "We really do need to look at the rest of the population to see if this worrying result transfers around the continent," he said, adding however that the colonies studied were considered representative. He said there is hope that the penguins may go further south to colder regions in the future, but added that it is not clear "how long they're going to last out there." Computer models have projected that the species will be near extinction by the end of the century if humans do not slash their planet-heating emissions. The latest study suggests the picture could be even worse. "We may have to rethink those models now with this new data," said Fretwell. But he stressed there was still time to reduce the threat to the penguins. "We've got this really depressing picture of climate change and falling populations even faster than we thought but it's not too late," he said. "We're probably going to lose a lot of emperor penguins along the way but if people do change, and if we do reduce or turn around our climate emissions, then then we will save the emperor penguin."
France 24
3 days ago
- France 24
Emperor penguin populations declining faster than expected
Scientists monitoring the world's largest penguin species used satellites to assess sixteen colonies in the Antarctic Peninsula, Weddell Sea and Bellingshausen Sea, representing nearly a third of the global emperor penguin population. What they found was "probably about 50-percent worse" than even the most pessimistic estimate of current populations using computer modelling, said Peter Fretwell, who tracks wildlife from space at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). Researchers know that climate change is driving the losses but the speed of the declines is a particular cause for alarm. The study, published in the journal Nature Communications: Earth & Environment, found that numbers declined 22 percent in the 15 years to 2024 for the colonies monitored. This compares with an earlier estimate of a 9.5-percent reduction across Antarctica as a whole between 2009 and 2018. Warming is thinning and destabilising the ice under the penguins' feet in their breeding grounds. In recent years some colonies have lost all their chicks because the ice has given way beneath them, plunging hatchlings into the sea before they were old enough to cope with the freezing ocean. Fretwell said the new research suggests penguin numbers have been declining since the monitoring began in 2009. That is even before global warming was having a major impact on the sea ice, which forms over open water adjacent to land in the region. But he said the culprit is still likely to be climate change, with warming driving other challenges for the penguins, such as higher rainfall or increasing encroachment from predators. "Emperor penguins are probably the most clear-cut example of where climate change is really showing its effect," said Fretwell. "There's no fishing. There's no habitat destruction. There's no pollution which is causing their populations to decline. "It's just the temperatures in the ice on which they breed and live, and that's really climate change." 'Worrying result" Emperor penguins, aka Aptenodytes forsteri, number about a quarter of a million breeding pairs, all in Antarctica, according to a 2020 study. A baby emperor penguin emerges from an egg kept warm in winter by a male, while the female in a breeding pair embarks on a two-month fishing expedition. When she returns to the colony, she feeds the hatchling by regurgitating. To survive on their own, chicks must develop waterproof feathers, a process that typically starts in mid-December. Fretwell said there is hope that the penguins may go further south in the future but added that it is not clear "how long they're going to last out there". Computer models have projected that the species will be near extinction by the end of the century if humans do not slash their planet-heating emissions. The latest study suggests the picture could be even worse. "We may have to rethink those models now with this new data," said Fretwell. "We really do need to look at the rest of the population to see if this worrying result transfers around the continent," he added. But he stressed there was still time to reduce the threat to the penguins. "We've got this really depressing picture of climate change and falling populations even faster than we thought but it's not too late," he said. We're probably going to lose a lot of emperor penguins along the way but if people do change, and if we do reduce or turn around our climate emissions, then then we will save the emperor penguin."
Sustainability Times
06-06-2025
- Sustainability Times
'America's Cities Are Sinking Fast': 28 Urban Giants Like New York and Houston Are Quietly Crumbling Beneath Our Feet
IN A NUTSHELL 🌍 A new study reveals that 28 major U.S. cities , including Houston and New York, are experiencing significant land subsidence. , including Houston and New York, are experiencing significant land subsidence. 💧 The primary cause of this sinking phenomenon is intensive groundwater extraction , with additional contributions from oil and gas extraction. , with additional contributions from oil and gas extraction. 🏙️ Urban infrastructure is at risk of damage due to both natural and man-made subsidence, affecting millions of residents. is at risk of damage due to both natural and man-made subsidence, affecting millions of residents. 🚨 The study emphasizes the urgent need for proactive measures to address and mitigate the risks associated with subsidence. In the heart of America, a hidden crisis is unfolding beneath our feet. The ground under 28 major U.S. cities, from the sprawling urban landscapes of New York to the vibrant streets of Houston, is sinking. This alarming phenomenon, driven primarily by groundwater depletion and other human activities, is reshaping the landscape of these bustling metropolises. As urban populations continue to swell, understanding and addressing this silent yet significant threat becomes ever more critical. How are these changes impacting the cities, and what can be done to mitigate the looming dangers? Groundwater Depletion and Uneven Terrain Behind Sinking Cities The process of land subsidence, where the ground sinks gradually, is heavily influenced by groundwater depletion. This is particularly evident in cities like Houston, which has emerged as the fastest subsiding city in the United States. Here, approximately 12% of the population experiences a yearly ground drop exceeding 0.4 inches, with some areas witnessing an alarming sinkage of up to 2 inches annually. The situation is mirrored in other Texan cities, such as Dallas and Fort Worth, with subsidence hotspots also identified near New York's LaGuardia Airport, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. The study conducted by Columbia University indicates that 80% of the subsidence is due to intense water extraction. As groundwater is pumped out, the fine-grained aquifers compact, causing the ground to sink. This issue is further compounded by oil and gas extraction activities in certain regions. However, not all subsidence is a result of human activity. In cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago, the land still settles from the last Ice Age, where massive ice sheets once pressed down on the earth, a process still occurring 20,000 years later. Additionally, the immense weight of urban infrastructure, such as New York's towering skyline, contributes to localized subsidence, illustrating the complex interplay between natural and man-made factors. 'Gene-Edited Pigs Cleared for Dinner': FDA Greenlights CRISPR Pork for American Tables After Safety Review A Threat Beneath Our Feet The insidious nature of land subsidence poses a unique threat to urban infrastructure. Unlike flood-related hazards, subsidence can damage infrastructure even with subtle land motion changes. This latent risk implies that infrastructure could be silently compromised over time, with damage only becoming apparent when it reaches a severe or catastrophic level. This risk is particularly acute in rapidly expanding urban centers, where more than 60% of the population lives on sinking land, as observed in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Houston, and Phoenix. Since 2000, over 90 major floods have been recorded in these cities, raising concerns that increased flooding risks are exacerbated by subsidence. Leonard Ohenhen, the lead author of the study, emphasizes the need for proactive measures: 'As opposed to just saying it's a problem, we can respond, address, mitigate, adapt. We have to move to solutions.' The call to action is clear—cities must implement strategies to counteract subsidence and protect their infrastructures. Scientists Create Extremely Heavy Hydrogen Isotope Using Electron Beams in a Historic First That Redefines Atomic Research Adapting to the New Normal As urban areas continue to expand, the challenge of managing land subsidence becomes more pressing. The integration of cutting-edge technologies, such as ultra-high-resolution satellite data, provides valuable insights into the vertical movement of land, allowing for more precise monitoring. By tracking even the tiniest land shifts, cities can better plan and implement mitigation strategies, ensuring the resilience of their infrastructure against this hidden threat. 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By educating citizens on the causes and consequences of subsidence, cities can foster a more informed and resilient populace capable of adapting to these changes. As cities grapple with these challenges, collaboration among government agencies, scientists, engineers, and the public is vital. By fostering a comprehensive approach to understanding and mitigating land subsidence, communities can safeguard their futures and ensure the sustainability of their urban environments. As we confront the reality of sinking cities, the urgency to address this issue becomes undeniable. The stakes are high, and the need for action is immediate. What innovative solutions can we implement to ensure the safety and resilience of our urban landscapes in the face of this silent, subsurface threat? Did you like it? 4.5/5 (26)
