With humans unable to keep global temperatures in check, a chilling crisis is playing out in Antarctica as its sea ice plunges to unprecedented lows. This has cast a shadow over the existence of a beloved Antarctic icon — the emperor penguin.
A study published in Nature Communications Earth & Environment on the Bellingshausen Sea, situated west of the Antarctic Peninsula, reveals that four out of five analysed emperor penguin colonies experienced a tragic loss last year. The area suffered a staggering reduction in sea ice, leading to the outcome where no chicks survived, as reported by BBC.
This event, labelled a "catastrophic breeding failure," is unprecedented and has been officially documented for the first time. This aligns with predictions indicating that over 90 percent of emperor penguin colonies could become "quasi-extinct" by the year 2100 due to the ongoing global warming crisis.
The study's researchers meticulously monitored five emperor penguin colonies within the Bellinghausen Sea. These colonies ranged in size, accommodating pairs ranging from around 630 to 3,500. Using satellite imagery spanning from 2018-2022, the scientists tallied the penguin population during their breeding season.
Vanishing ice, warmer sea threat to existence
When it comes to emperor penguins, the iconic birds, found only in Antarctica, breed, lay their eggs, and raise their chicks on fast sea ice (ice that is attached to land).
They arrive at their breeding sites in late March. In May and June, they lay their eggs, which hatch after 65 days during the brutal Antarctic winter. The chicks then remain on the ice until their fluffy down is replaced by waterproof feathers, finally fledging in the summer months of December and January.
Last year, sea ice levels in Antarctica were at an all-time low — a record first set in 2021. The Bellingshausen Sea region, to the west of the Antarctic Peninsula, saw the most extreme reduction of sea ice, with some areas experiencing a 100 percent loss. Of the five known emperor penguin colonies in the Bellingshausen Sea region, all but one experienced what was most likely a total breeding failure due to the loss of sea ice.
"Emperors depend on sea ice for their breeding cycle; it's the stable platform they use to bring up their young. But if that ice is not as extensive as it should be or breaks up faster, these birds are in trouble,” Dr Peter Fretwell, British Antarctic Survey (BAS), told BBC.
Antarctic ecosystem's uncertain future
As per the report, between 2018 and 2022, 30 percent of the 62 recognised emperor penguin colonies in Antarctica saw either partial or complete sea ice depletion.
Cassandra Brooks, Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, known for her extensive Antarctic species research, told CNN that that this study serves as an additional piece of evidence, further solidifying the reports that said emperor penguins face risks to their survival.
"There is an accumulating body of evidence that points to the very real possibility that emperor penguins might face extinction due to the direct repercussions of dwindling sea ice, a consequence of our planet's escalating warming. The timeframe during which we can safeguard their survival is becoming increasingly constrained," she said.
And it's not just emperor penguins that will be impacted by depletion of the sea ice.
The climate crisis has cast a shadow of uncertainty over various other species, such as seals, which depend on the sea ice for sustenance and respite. It also endangers the micro-organisms and algae that nourish krill, a crucial component of the diets of numerous regional whales.
The significance of Antarctic sea ice extends to its role in the planet's ecological equilibrium. Serving as a natural mirror, it deflects the sun's incoming energy back into space, contributing to temperature regulation. However, as the ice melts the exposed surface absorbs the Sun's energy, fostering a chain reaction that contributes to the global warming crisis.
