Antarctic Penguin Colonies Have Declined by Nearly 75 Percent in Past 50 Years, Researchers Say
"While several factors may have a role to play, all the evidence we have points to climate change as being responsible for the changes we are seeing," said researchers
One species of penguin has experienced a rapid downtick in its population, scientists say.
On Tuesday, a group of independent researchers on a Greenpeace expedition to Antarctica shared findings from their recent survey of chinstrap penguin colonies in the region. The team found that every colony surveyed in their habitats on Elephant Island had declined.
Some colonies of the chinstrap penguin — the birds get their name from their distinguishing thin, black band facial features — have reduced by as much as 77 percent since they were last surveyed, about 50 years ago, researchers found.
“Such significant declines suggest that the Southern Ocean’s ecosystem is fundamentally changed from 50 years ago, and that the impacts of this are rippling up the food web to species like chinstrap penguins,” Heather J. Lynch, an associate professor of ecology and evolution at Stony Brook University and a member of the expedition, said in a press release.
Lynch added: “While several factors may have a role to play, all the evidence we have points to climate change as being responsible for the changes we are seeing.”
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According to the research team — which is made up of experts from Stony Brook and Northeastern University — the total number of chinstrap penguins on Elephant Island is 52,786 breeding pairs, which is a nearly 60 percent drop from the last survey in 1971, with previous estimates at 122,550 pairs.
To raise awareness for the declining penguin populations, campaigners have installed “disappearing penguin” ice sculptures in capitals around the world. In the past week, the displays have popped up in Washington, D.C., London, Buenos Aires and other cities.
“We installed a melting penguin sculpture in front of the U.S. Capitol to highlight the threats ocean wildlife is currently facing,” Arlo Hemphill, a senior ocean campaigner at Greenpeace USA and member of the Protect the Oceans campaign, said in a press release.
Hemphill continued: “Without protection, not only penguins are at stake but entire ecosystems are in danger from the impacts of industrial fishing, pollution, deep-sea mining and climate change.”