21 hours ago
Last Updated:June 10, 2025, 16:59 IST
Emperor penguin populations in Antarctica have declined by 22% over 15 years due to climate change, says British Antarctic Survey.
Emperor penguins are seen in Dumont d'Urville, Antarctica. (IMAGE: REUTERS FILE)
They waddle, they huddle and they slide on their bellies across the Antarctic ice, emperor penguins are not just majestic, they’re also some of the quirkiest creatures on Earth. But behind their charm lies a worrying truth: these cold-loving birds are disappearing faster than anyone expected.
New research released Tuesday shows that emperor penguin populations in parts of Antarctica have shrunk by nearly a quarter over the past 15 years, as climate change melts and disrupts their icy habitat.
Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey used satellite images to monitor 16 penguin colonies across the Antarctic Peninsula, Weddell Sea and Bellingshausen Sea, which cover nearly a third of the world’s emperor penguin population. What they found was alarming: a 22% decline in numbers between 2009 and 2024.
That drop is “probably about 50 percent worse" than even the most pessimistic computer models had predicted, said Peter Fretwell, lead author of the study published in Nature Communications: Earth & Environment.
Emperor penguins are the largest of all penguin species, standing up to 4 feet tall and weighing around 20 to 40 kilograms, they look like birds in tuxedos waddling across the snow. Native only to Antarctica, these flightless birds are built for the cold, with thick layers of feathers and blubber that help them survive freezing temperatures and harsh winds.
“We’ve got this really depressing picture of climate change and falling populations even faster than we thought," Fretwell said, adding, “but it’s not too late."
Scientists have long warned that emperor penguins are especially vulnerable to warming temperatures, which cause the sea ice they depend on for breeding and raising chicks to break up too early. But the speed of the current decline is what’s now raising red flags.
Each year, emperor penguins undertake a long march across the ice to their breeding grounds, where they form huge colonies to mate and raise their young. After laying a single egg, the female passes it to the male, who keeps it warm on his feet under a flap of skin called a brood pouch. While the mothers head back to sea to feed, the fathers brave weeks of darkness and sub-zero cold, huddling together to protect the eggs. Once the chicks hatch, both parents take turns feeding and guarding their fluffy young.
Despite the sobering data, researchers stress that urgent global action on climate change could still help protect the future of these tuxedoed icons of the Antarctic.
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev...Read More
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev...
Read More
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First Published:News viral Emperor Penguin Numbers Falling Faster Than Expected: ‘Depressing Picture Of Climate Change’
