An estimated 150,000 Adelie penguins living in Antarctica have died after an iceberg the size of Rome became grounded near their colony, forcing them to trek 60km to the sea for food. The penguins of Cape Denison in Commonwealth Bay used to live close to a large body of open water. However, in 2010 a […]
Tag: antarctica
Remote-Control Penguin Rovers Fool Birds, Boost Science
If it looks like a penguin and acts like a penguin—well, sometimes it’s not a penguin. A remote-controlled rover designed to sneak undetected into penguin colonies in Antarctica works better than other research methods, a new study says. The penguin-camouflaged technology is so realistic, it even fools live emperor penguins into trying to communicate with […]
Can penguins cope with climate change? Scientists find different types of ice elicit different responses
Human-caused climate change is altering the habitat of Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae). In an article recently published in PLOS ONE, a team of researchers led by Amélie Lescroël from the Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CNRS) in France, found that changes in sea-ice content and newly formed icebergs significantly impacted Adélie penguin communities in the […]
Antarctic penguins forced up 100-foot ice walls, study shows
Emperor penguins are having to struggle up 100-foot walls of ice as warmer temperatures force them out of their traditional breeding grounds, a study has shown. The gravity-defying march of the penguins was spotted by British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientists in satellite images of four colonies. The birds normally breed on thin sea ice, close […]
Creature Feature: Emperor Penguin
Chances are you’ve seen an emperor penguin before—at least in photographs or while watching the movie Happy Feet. But did you know that these charismatic birds are one of the hardiest species on the planet? Emperor penguins are the world’s largest penguin and are found year-round only in Antarctica. Like other penguins they can’t fly—instead, […]
Sea-kayaking with a minke whale – in pictures
While sea-kayaking in Neko Harbour in the Antarctic peninsula, Andrew Peacock captured an extraordinary sight: an inquisitive minke whale passing within arm’s-reach of the flotilla of kayaks. Best of all, he managed to capture the moment on camera. This article was written by Jonny Weeks for the Guardian UK.