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Emperor penguins lost thousands of chicks to melting ice last year

With continued climate warming, all emperor penguins could be at risk, scientists say

Two emperor penguin chicks stand on the ice. One has buried his head in his soft fur, while the other appears to be nodding off.

Emperor penguin chicks lack waterproof feathers, making them vulnerable to sea ice loss.

P. Fretwell/BAS

By Luis Melecio-Zambrano

Thousands of emperor penguins in western Antarctica lost their chicks last year, largely due to receding sea ice, satellite data suggest.

Over the last two years, sea ice has reached record lows around much of Antarctica (SN: 7/5/23). But while looking at satellite images in 2022, geographer Peter Fretwell noticed that ice in one area was melting especially early in the year.