Shrinking sea ice forces penguins into groups with catastrophic impact

"Moulting is a particularly dangerous time for emperor penguins as they cannot enter the water to feed for several weeks while their new plumage regrows. The dramatic images reveal how shrinking sea ice is forcing the birds into smaller, increasingly crowded groups. If the weakened ice breaks up early, this could spell disaster for the thousands of unprepared birds still trying to replace their feathers."

"Dr Peter Fretwell, lead author of the study, warned of the potentially 'catastrophic' consequences for the species. '[This] almost certainly brings the extinction horizon closer, maybe by several decades,' he told the Daily Mail. 'Although it will take more work and analysis to calculate exactly how much.'"

"A penguin's feathers keep it waterproof and warm, and must be well oiled using oil from a special gland at the base of the tail. Feathers become worn out and must be replaced every year. During the three to four weeks of moulting, penguins come ashore."

Emperor penguins migrate annually to Marie Byrd Land to moult, replacing worn feathers with waterproof plumage over three to four weeks while unable to enter water for food. Satellite imagery has revealed moulting colonies for the first time, showing brown patches along the coastline. These discoveries expose a critical vulnerability: shrinking sea ice is concentrating penguins into increasingly smaller, crowded groups. If ice breaks up prematurely during moulting, thousands of unprepared birds could face catastrophic consequences. Researchers identified hundreds of moulting colonies before 2022, but this number dramatically declined to just 25 by 2022, indicating severe population stress and accelerating extinction risk.

Read at Mail Online