Emperor Penguins Face Extinction by 2100, Says Devastating New Report
The iconic species are to be added to the Endangered Species Act, as experts predict that global warming will wipe out 70% of colonies by 2050.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has proposed listing the emperor penguin as 'threatened' under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), in light of a damning new report.
A review led by international experts concluded that unless global warming is drastically reduced, the iconic species are in dire threat of extinction by the end of this century.
The problem centers around the penguins' reliance on sea ice, which is being lost on an unprecedented scale due to rising greenhouse gas emissions. Emperor penguins need the sea ice for breeding, feeding, and for their annual molt. The ice is also important as it allows the species to rest, and to escape predators.
By 2050, Antarctic sea ice is projected to decline by 23%, says the study, and so threatening 70% of colonies.
If current global warming trends and government policies continue, 63% of sea ice will have been lost by 2100, plunging the entire species to the brink of extinction.
Global warming has already devastated the sea ice in Halley Bay, which was home to the second-largest colony in the Antarctic. In 2016, some 10,000 penguin chicks drowned, after the sea ice broke up. The chicks did not have time to develop waterproof feathers, and the colony is yet to recover.
Despite the dire warnings, there is still time to act. The researchers stressed the importance of countries achieving the targets set out by the Paris International Agreement. If successful, sea ice losses could decline by just 13% by 2050. And losses can be restricted to within 20% by 2100, if global warming is kept to below 2 degrees Celsius.
Although emperor penguins are native to the Antarctic, an ESA listing would "provide important benefits", according to the report. In particular, the listing would see U.S. fishing companies that operate in the Antarctic banned from targeting the penguins' prey, such as krill. This is significant, as the U.S. is the world's leading consumer of krill products.
The report adds that "listing would also spur research and promote international cooperation on conservation strategies, and increase funding including personnel and training assistance for conservation programs."
A 60-day public comment period is now open, following the FWS' proposal.
The study was headed by Stephanie Jenouvrier, an ecologist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, in Falmouth, MA. Jenouvrier first encountered emperor penguins two decades ago, as part of her PhD. "People think that emperor penguins are awkward, almost comical, with their hobbling gait, but emperors walk with a peaceful and serene grace across the sea ice. I can still feel them tugging on my shoelaces, their eyes flickering with curiosity", she told Merco Press recently. "I hope my children and future generations have a chance to meet these masters of the frozen world."
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