Emperor penguins drowning and freezing to death... "Eventually will go extinct" Warning issued in Antarctica

Antarctic Sea Ice Area Estimated to Be the Smallest Ever This Winter
Vicious Cycle of Global Warming Threatens Antarctic Ecosystem
"Emperor Penguins Virtually Extinct by Late 2100s"

The Antarctic sea ice, the coldest sea ice on Earth, has reached its smallest extent ever recorded. Concerns are rising about the acceleration of the vicious cycle of global warming and threats to the penguin ecosystem.

According to the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), the Antarctic sea ice extent this winter was 16.96 million km² as of the 10th of this month, marking the lowest figure since satellite observations began in 1979, reported the Washington Post (WP) and others on the 25th (local time).

Located in the Southern Hemisphere, Antarctica's winter spans from July to early September. Generally, sea ice reaches its peak in September at the end of winter and hits its lowest level in February to March at the end of summer. Earlier this year, in February, the Antarctic sea ice extent during summer also broke the 2022 record, reaching a historic low.

The rate at which Antarctic sea ice is decreasing is very steep. This winter's record is about 1 million km² less than the previous lowest extent recorded in the winter of 1986 (18 million km²). However, the figure announced by NSIDC this time is preliminary, and the official announcement reflecting other variables will be released in early next month.

The NSIDC warned that climate change is accelerating the reduction of Antarctic sea ice, depriving animals such as penguins, which lay eggs and raise their young on the sea ice, of their habitats.

First, melting sea ice can cause a positive feedback effect in global warming. Originally, Antarctic sea ice reflects solar radiation back into the atmosphere, cooling the elevated sea surface temperatures. Conversely, when sea ice decreases, sea surface temperatures rise, and the warmed ocean further melts the sea ice, causing a vicious cycle that increases sea surface temperatures. This results in the Earth becoming hotter.

The Antarctic ecosystem is also under threat. According to a research team led by Peter Fretwell of the British Antarctic Survey, four out of five emperor penguin habitats in the central and eastern Bellingshausen Sea in Antarctica melted away last year. It is estimated that up to 10,000 emperor penguin chicks died as a result. The sea ice melted too early, causing the chicks to drown or freeze to death before they could shed their down feathers and develop the waterproof adult feathers.

Dr. Fretwell warned, "This event is only a precursor of what is to come," adding, "As Antarctic sea ice continues to disappear, about 90% of emperor penguin colonies will fail to breed by the late 2100s, leading to their effective extinction."