Warmer Water Means Trouble for Penguins

Like the danger the glaciers and the artic fish are facing, penguins are in some serious danger as well. Global warming seems to be behind this trend of this warming climate throughout the world. Les Underhill directs the Avian Demography Unit at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, and he thinks that global climate change may be responsible for declining penguin populations on South Africa’s Prince Edward Islands. The warmer waters are making the journey of penguins getting food for their chicks longer for the penguins, therefore endangering future healthy penguins. Half to three-quarters of major Antarctic penguin colonies face decline or disappearance if global temperatures are allowed to climb by more than 2 degrees Celsius. “Penguins are very well adapted to living in the cold and extreme conditions of Antarctica, so the continued increase in global temperature and resulting loss of feeding areas and nesting zones for their chicks has already led to notable reductions in their populations. “ If temperatures increase by another two degrees these icons of the Antarctic will be seriously threatened,” said WWF Antarctica Climate Change Coordinator Juan Casavelos. Recent climate models are forecasting temperatures to likely rise above the 2 degree Celsius increase. Unfortunately, this seemingly small global temperature increase is regarded as a level for unacceptable risks of dangerous climate change. In order for penguins to be saved at all, their environment must be save. The only way to significantly reduce the risks of climate change in Antarctica and the rest of the world is to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “The predicted threat to Emperor and Adélie penguin populations is a clear incentive for the world to agree on a set of measures to reduce global emission. It is imperative that the international community analyses all possible ways to limit climate change and improve the resilience of the penguin population,” said Casavelos. Change must come or danger of not seeing penguins in their natural habitat may become a reality

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/09/0913_040913_penguins.html

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081012105113.htm