Satellite imagery revealed that between 14,500 and 25,000 penguin eggs or chicks drowned after their colony was destroyed by severe weather and thinning ice
Emperor penguins are the heaviest of the penguin species so they depend upon large patches of sea ice that are strong enough to support the combined weight of thousands of birds from April, when the adults arrive at the colony, through December, when the chicks fledge. Thus, they experience large annual variations in breeding success, but this period of prolonged breeding failure for this particular colony is unprecedented in the historical record, according to Dr. Fretwell and Dr. Trathan.
Despite the tragic loss of this large colony, Halley Bay represents roughly 8% of the world’s total population of emperor penguins, which are estimated to number between 130,000 and 250,000 breeding pairs distributed across 54 colonies. However, this loss may be a harbinger of future events: Even in good years, only 19% of emperor penguin chicks survive their first year of life. Thus, 80% of the emperor penguin population is composed of adults that are five years old and older.
Particularly troubling is that Halley Bay is one of the coldest regions of Antarctica, and thus, has long been perceived as a climate change refuge for emperor penguins. Despite this, no one knows for sure why the ice shelf that the Halley Bay colony was located on has failed to re-form. There is no obvious sign that climate change is to blame, but warmer waters mean that sea ice is weaker and that of course spells growing danger for emperor penguins, in particular.
Emperor penguin chicks at Antarctica’s Halley Bay, the second biggest breeding colony for this species. In 2016, this colony experienced a total breeding failure and has since almost completely vanished.
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