Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Good news for two species of Antarctic penquins

Article: Adélie Penguin Census Shows Seabirds Are Thriving

Article: Emperor Penguins Are Teeming in Antarctica

Scientists used satellites to find penguins (hint: they stain the ice and are about 1 pixel big).

More colonies than they realized, more penguins in the colonies than anticipated. Good news.

Penguins are viewed as the bellwether of global warming/climate change because the Antarctic, like the Arctic, is more susceptible to climate change than other regions of earth.
Wildlife biologists pay close attention to Adélie penguins because their well-being is tied to annual sea ice conditions and temperature trends. They nest in groups on exposed rock but have to walk to the ice edge to feed in open water.

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