Emperor Penguin Populations Decline Nearly 10% in a Decade
A comprehensive study using high-resolution satellite imagery and field surveys reveals a significant drop in emperor penguin numbers, with climate change cited as a key factor.
- A multinational research effort confirms a 10% decline in emperor penguin populations in Antarctica from 2009 to 2018.
- High-resolution satellite imagery and field-based surveys document the first multi-year time series of global population trends.
- Climate change and the loss of stable sea ice critical for breeding are major threats to emperor penguins.
- New colonies detected during the study bring the total known locations to 66, indicating a mixed response to environmental changes.
- Researchers stress the need for further study to understand the causes of decline and for adaptive conservation management efforts.
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