Emperor penguins face extinction

Global warming may cause emperor penguins to decline in serious numbers, even facing the "almost extinct" risk by 2100.

>>>The emperor penguin disappeared

This is a forecast that scientists have just released in a study published in the journal Climate Climate Change.

Research by scientists at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (USA) shows that the number of individuals in emperor penguin populations will decline by at least 19% by 2100.

About two-thirds of the current 45 population of emperor penguins are at risk of declining more than 50% of the population and about one fifth of the population faces "almost extinct" risk. .

Emperor penguins.(Source: emperorpenguinfacts.com)

The reason is that global warming causes the area of ​​Antarctic ice to decline. Melting ice will affect the breeding and breeding activities of emperor penguins because their activities mainly occur on ice on the sea. Moreover, melting ice also affects fish and molluscs - which are the main food of emperor penguins.

However, the degree of individual decline in populations of different emperor penguins. Populations of penguins living in areas from the east of the Wedell Sea to the West Indian Ocean are at greatest risk of decline, while populations living in the Ross Sea will be less affected.

Scientists call for emperor penguins to be "endangered" (threatened by extinction) in the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List (IUCN); At the same time, it is proposed to establish a marine life conservation area in the Ross Sea and off the east of Antarctica, restricting tourism and fishing activities in this area to preserve the bird's habitat. Emperor

Scientists claim, this is the best solution to protect penguins in general and emperor penguins in particular.

There are about 600,000 emperor penguins living in Antarctica. They are the largest and heaviest bird among all living and endemic penguins in Antarctica.