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The heat stops the march of the penguins

Raising the climate is likely to stop the march of the penguins. The Antarctic Peninsula, part of 'Antarctica , the last continent that remains "intact the planet, "is narrowing because of climate change. The ice that forms from sea water covers an area of \u200b\u200b40% less than 26 years ago, the Southern Ocean that washes it is heated to a depth of 3,000 meters. This removes habitat, namely breeding ground and food, to four different species of penguin.

at risk populations Emperor Penguin, Adelie penguins, the Antarctic Penguins and Gentoo Penguins . habits, reproductive cycles that are perpetuated for millennia are already threatened by global warming. And 'what emerges from the new report by WWF Penguins and climate change launched worldwide from Bali. "Four different species, on which rests the same risk, a planet that" boils, "said Tony Long, Director of WWF Italy" are the true symbols of Antarctica, now forced to a forced adaptation to climate change that subtracts the land for nesting and krill for food at a pace that is unprecedented. " The emperor penguin, the largest and most majestic penguin in the world, has seen halved the extent of its usual colonies last half century. The milder winters and the winds getting stronger forcing penguins to raise their young on ice sheets thinner. In recent years, the ice began to break down too early and many eggs and chicks are dead in the water before they were able to survive independently.

The reduction of sea ice, reduced to an area less than 40% over 26 years ago off the Antarctic Peninsula, has caused the decline in the population of krill , the main food source of the penguin of Antarctica. The population of this species has declined from 30% to 66% depending on the colonies and the availability of food. The same thing happens to papua Penguins, who more than others are suffering from the decline in stocks of krill caused by intensive fishing.

north-western Antarctica, where heating is even more pronounced, the population of Adelie penguins has declined by 65% \u200b\u200bover the past 25 years. Not only is the food became more scarce, but the population has suffered an invasion of their territories usual 'cousins' belonging papua and Antarctic, species that prefer temperatures a bit' warmer. Higher temperatures also allow the atmosphere to hold more water vapor, which increases the snow: a risk to the survival of Adelie penguins in need of land free from snow to raise their young.

Pergamon Journal of Earth Observing