Extreme Cold Overcome, But Succumbing to Warming... Antarctic Emperor Penguins Also Face Extinction Threat

Emperor Penguin Colony Declines by About 50% Since the 1970s... Sea Ice Habitat Shrinks
US Fish and Wildlife Service: "Emperor Penguins Face Extinction Risk in the Near Future"

The emperor penguin, which inhabits Antarctica, is the tallest and heaviest among all existing penguin species. It can grow up to 115 cm tall and weigh up to 40 kg. Photo by Asia Economy

[Asia Economy Reporter Bang Je-il] The emperor penguin, the largest penguin species in the world native to Antarctica, has been listed as an endangered species by the U.S. government.

On the 25th (local time), according to the British newspaper The Guardian, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced the listing of emperor penguins as endangered due to the risk of near extinction caused by the loss of their sea ice habitat. The U.S. government has previously listed species such as polar bears and ringed seals as endangered.

The emperor penguin, which inhabits Antarctica, is the tallest and heaviest among all existing penguin species. They can grow up to 115 cm tall and weigh up to 40 kg. Females lay one egg during the breeding season, while males incubate the egg for two months in harsh cold conditions as females go to the sea to forage. However, the rapid decline of Antarctic sea ice, which serves as a place for raising chicks and resting, due to global warming has pushed them to the brink of extinction.

Due to global warming, in 2016, the sea ice of Halley Bay, the second largest habitat, broke up earlier than usual, resulting in the death of about 10,000 chicks. The emperor penguin colony featured in the documentary film introduced in Korea under the title "Penguin: The Great Adventure" has decreased by nearly 50% since the 1970s. Ocean acidification, which reduces krill?the main food source for emperor penguins?is also cited as a factor making their survival more difficult.

Currently, there are about 61 emperor penguin breeding colonies along the Antarctic coastline. The population is estimated to be around 270,000 to 280,000 pairs or approximately 625,000 to 650,000 individuals. The Fish and Wildlife Service expressed concern, stating, "Although the emperor penguin population appears stable at present, it is expected to face endangerment in the near future."

The Fish and Wildlife Service estimated that by 2050, the emperor penguin population will decrease by about 26% under a low carbon emission scenario and by about 47% under a high carbon emission scenario. In particular, emperor penguin colonies in the Indian Ocean, Western Pacific, and Amundsen Sea regions are predicted to decline by more than 90% as sea ice melts.

Martha Williams, Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service, said, "Climate change is having a tremendous impact on species worldwide," adding, "Listing the emperor penguin as an endangered species not only serves as a wake-up call but also urges action against climate change."