World Penguin Day 2021

Sunday 25th April 2021 is World Penguin Day, therefore I thought I would post and highlight some of the sad affects of climate change on these animals. 

Climate change is affecting so many animals including penguins. A new scientific study found that if climate change continues at its current rate, penguins could virtually disappear by the year 2100 due to loss of Antarctic sea ice.

Breeding and feeding for the penguins is dependent on sea ice. They arrive at their ice colony from feeding in the ocean after the ice has formed. As the sea ice is declining, due to natural fluctuations, penguins have unfortunately died and the populations have decreased. The scientists have stated that if we don’t decrease greenhouse gas emissions there will be an 86% decline in the total number of emperor penguins.

The changes in the Antarctic with the melting ice is having an impact on other penguin species, including the chinstrap and Adélie penguins. These birds are reliant on krill for food, which is dependant on sea ice as a source of food and shelter. The loss of ice that is already happening could cause the krill to move out of Antarctic waters or cause a massive decline. Scientists have discovered that one colony of chinstrap penguins in Antarctica has fallen by 77% in 50 years.

The king penguins are not completely reliant ice but have colonies on islands in the sub-Antarctic region, north of the Antarctic. In nesting season king penguin parents take turns looking for food at sea to feed their chicks, often traveling as far as 310 miles as a round-trip. The birds travel south to the northern reach of the colder Antarctic waters to feed mainly on lanternfish that form huge schools at these edges. Scientists predict that warming seas will make the penguins’ trips looking for food longer as their prey move to colder waters. Longer trips away leaves the remaining penguin parent so hungry that they will leave the nest, meaning the chicks will die. In 2018 scientists found that the world’s largest king penguin biggest colony had shrunk by 90%.They aren’t sure why but it could be that the penguins moved to be closer to prey.

We all can make an impact and help reduce the affects on Climate Change. If we all take small steps and make small changes this will go to contribute in the conservation of the species. 

Shaan Dulay - age 8

Image Credit: Bally Dulay and Blogspot.