Study Shows Some Colonies of Emperor Penguins Lost All Chicks in 2022

Emperor penguins are one of the most iconic species of the Antarctic. However, scientists have long sounded an alarm warning that this species is at severe risk due to Climate change. Now, more data has come to light pointing to the threats this species faces. According to data from 2022, which analyzed five colonies of Emperor Penguins in the Bellingshausen Sea, no chicks survived in four out of the five colonies. This devastating loss is due to the increased loss of sea ice. A study published in the scientific journal Nature Communications Earth & Environment details how the loss of this ice led to the “catastrophic breeding failure.”

Source: New Scientist/YouTube

Sea ice was lost at a record rate in 2022. Emperor penguins rely on having access to stable sea ice which is attached to land. They lay their eggs and raise their chicks on this stable ice. The penguins lay their eggs in May or June. After they hatch, the young Emperor Penguins are not ready to face the open ocean until December or January. This is when they develop the waterproof feathers that allow them to swim and catch their food. 

Since Antarctica is located in the southern hemisphere, the summer season with the highest temperatures occurs from October to March. Typically, sea ice remains stable and attached to land until the young Emperor Penguin chicks can survive on their own. However, in 2022, ice broke up much earlier than usual. This proved catastrophic for the penguin colonies.

Scientists looked at five colonies of Emperor Penguins which numbered from 630 to 3,500 breeding pairs. Due to early ice loss, four out of the five colonies experienced “total reproductive loss” meaning that none of the chicks survived. 

When sea ice breaks up too early, the vulnerable young chicks may fall into the frigid ocean, or simply float away on the now mobile ice. When they float away, the adult penguins may lose track of them and the chicks then starve. This devastating data points to an alarming trend in the Antarctic. 

A separate 2022 study found that 65 percent of the species native to Antarctica may disappear within the century if Climate change continues. Emperor penguins top the list of species that would be affected. Over 80 percent of the Emperor Penguin population is threatened by Climate change. Worst-case scenarios show that these penguins may be extinct by the end of the century.

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