Penguins on the Move: The Climate Effect
Imagine sliding across a giant freezer—emperor penguins are doing just that! 🐧 Over the past 11 years, a team of researchers used guano (aka penguin poop) as a handy marker to map where these majestic birds breed on the ice.
Measuring Shifts in Real Time
Here’s what they found:
- 🌡️ For every 1°C jump in temperature, penguins pick a new spot about 73 metres farther away.
- ❄️ Every extra centimetre of snow pushes them another 66 metres along the ice sheet.
By tracking these moves, scientists can see how emperor penguins adapt to changing conditions—kind of like how we switch cafés when our go-to gets too crowded!
Why It Matters
These shifts might seem small, but they add up. As the climate warms and snowfall patterns change, emperor penguins could run out of suitable ice to breed. That’s a big deal for our planet’s coolest top-of-the-world residents.
Keeping an eye on these feathered friends helps us understand the ripple effects of climate change—reminding us that even the farthest corners of Earth aren’t immune. Let’s stay curious and keep the conversation going! 🌍💬
Reference(s):
Researchers map emperor penguin habitats under climate extremes
cgtn.com
