The main reasons behind penguin decline in Antarctica

Several recent studies have confirmed that a number of penguin species at Antarctica, especially chinstrap and Adelie penguin are declining, and the main reason for this is not enough food, which is yet again connected to climate change.

The penguin's diet mostly consists of Antarctic krill, a little shrimp-like animal. Krills belong to the most abundant species on our planet (there can be sometimes up to 30,000 krills in a cubic-meter of seawater) but their abundance has started to severely reduce for penguins because of not only warmer waters but also because of the increased competition from whales and seals who also have krills on their menu.

Krills play extremely important role in Antarctica's ecosystems, and their abundance is the key in preserving the unique Antarctica's biodiversity.

The before mentioned chinstrap and Adelie penguin have been experiencing a decline in population by up to 50% since the mid 80s.

The main difference between these two penguin species is the fact that Adelie penguins love ice while chinstrap penguin avoid ice. Since both of these penguin population experienced severe decline in last 20-30 years the scientists concluded that the loss of ice cover is not the main reason behind their decline but rather the lack of krill.

This was clearly confirmed by comparing the numbers of these two penguin species in the 19th to mid-20th Centuries (when penguin population was the highest because humans almost extirpated seals, baleen whales and some fish which meant more krill for penguins) and today.

The abundance of krill for penguins is not only reduced because of many competitors but also because of climate change. Warmer waters and less ice cover is altering the adequate physical conditions necessary to sustain large krill populations.

If warming continues there will be less krill, and with it the less penguins in Antarctica.

Marine protected areas - Good solution to save many species

Marine protected areas could be one of the best solutions that could save many animal species from going extinct. The latest study carried out by the French scientists from Montpellier has revealed the beneficial effects for endangered Cape penguin population in South Africa once marine protected area has been established.

The Cape penguin species, that is endemic to South Africa is listed as endangered, and the recent decline in population of 60 percent between the period from 2001 to 2009 has ringed alarm bells. This tremendous decline in population is mostly connected with the food shortages since penguins need to compete with fisheries for fish.

South Africa's government luckily realized the threat to penguins, and decided to close the fishing in January 2009 in a 20-km radius ocean area around the largest Cape penguin colony (on the island of St Croix, Algoa Bay). Did this work to make life easier for penguins?

Well the scientists came up with the following results: In 2008, before the marine protected area was established and was still open for fisheries, the St Croix penguins mainly fished (75% of dives) more than 20 km from their colony, covering up to 150 km in two days in their search for food. In 2009, only 3 months after the marine protected area was established and closed to fishing, 70% of dives were less than 20 km away, within the protected marine area. This means that the time spent on searching for food has decreased by 30%, which reduced daily energy expenditure of Cape penguins by 40%.

As you can see from these results it doesn't take much time for marine protected area to start showing positive indicators. Industrial fishing on large scale is not only harmful to penguins but to many other marine animals that depend on fish for their survival, and marine protected areas could stop decline in population of many marine species.

Marine protected areas are definitely one of the best ways to reduce threats to marine life.

Tremendous decline of rockhopper penguin population

The latest study carried out by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has found that the population of Northern Rockhopper Penguin declined by some 90 percent over the last 50 years, and is on the brink of extinction. Some 50 years ago the population of northern rockhopper penguins was measured into the millions, but now these numbers have been decimated with largest colonies somewhere between 32,000 to 65,000 pairs on Gough Island, and 40,000 to 50,000 pairs on Tristan da Cunha Island; these two colonies make 80 % of total rockhopper penguin population.

Lovable rockhopper penguins are facing extinction

Scientists still don't know the exact reason for such tremendous decline but study authors believe this has to do with the fact that penguins were exploited by people, and that wild dogs and pigs probably also had an impact on their numbers. There are also the usual culprits in form of climate change, shifts in marine ecosystems and overfishing. It is really crucial to understand the reason for such rapid decline, not only because of rockhopper penguin population but for other penguin species as well because more than half of the world’s penguins is facing varying degrees of extinction.

Global warming threatens penguins in Antarctica

The latest study by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) showed that penguins in Antarctica could be in serious trouble in years to come. According to this study between half to three-quarters of major Antarctic penguin colonies could be paying with their lives if global temperatures are allowed to climb by more than two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit).

Penguins that live in Antarctica are the most famous of all penguin species, and so far they haven't shared the destiny of other 12 penguin species considered "at risk" or "endangered" but if global warming trend continues the number will soon rise to 13.

Two degrees Celsius higher temperature would be enough to threaten 50 per cent of breeding grounds of emperor penguins, and 75 per cent of Adelie penguin colonies. Experts say that global warming already caused reduction in penguin population but what is now only reduction could soon become serious threat to penguins survival.

According to scientists a two-degree Celsius increase above pre-industrial temperatures is considered as the threshold beyond which climate change will have severe consequences for all Earth's ecosystems, especially the ones in Antarctica and other areas of extreme cold conditions where species have managed to adapt so well to these extreme conditions. Two degrees Celsius maybe doesn't seem as the big jump in temperature but it could mean the difference between life and death for many penguins on Antarctica.

Two degrees Celsius could mean the difference between life and death for many penguins on Antarctica.

Many penguin species still in trouble

According to scientists there are between 16 to 19 penguin species, and more than half of these species is facing majors survival problems. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature lists three penguin species as endangered, with seven penguins species that are "facing a high risk of extinction in the wild" (meaning they could soon be listed as endangered), and two more penguin species are described as "near threatened". And not so long ago (about 15 years ago) only five to seven species were considered vulnerable.

Majority of penguin species had a horrific decline in the last 50 years (for instance Patagonian penguin colony at Punta Tumbo, Argentina faced decline in number of breeding pairs from 400,000 in the late 1960s to about 200,000 in 2006, and the situation is even worse with African penguins that had even bigger decline from 1.5 million breeding pairs to only 63,000 today. Only few species, like for instance king penguins that live on Antarctica are showing some signs of population growth, while other penguins species continue this alarming trend of population decrease.

African penguins - From 1.5 million to only 63,000 breeding pairs

The biggest factor that causes this big decline in penguin population is global warming. Adelie penguins from Antarctica are faced with food shortage because of the rapid ice-melting and penguins that live on hot Galapagos island are forced to withstand the warmer weather which forces penguins to travel farther to seek food, sometimes abandoning their chicks in the process. There are also oil spills that regularly taint the water where penguins have their habitats, and scientists believe that oil spills have had significant impact to the decline of Punta Tumbo penguin population.

And what is today problem for penguin population will soon be a problem for number of different species, including humans in the end. We seem to be forgetting the fact that all species (including humans) are connected and dependent on each other so we must do our best to try to save as many species as possible. Salvation of penguins and other endangered species is also the road for our salvation. And this is really something we shouldn't be forgetting so often as we do it today.

Endangered species - Penguins

Penguins are social birds that have adapted exceptionally well to life in water. There are between 17 and 20 living penguin species, and the largest living penguin species is the Emperor Penguin; adults average about 1.1 m (3 ft 7 in) tall and weigh around 35 kg (75 lb), the smallest penguin species is the Little Blue Penguin (sometimes called "Fairy Penguin"), which stands around 40 cm tall (16 in) and weighs 1 kg (2.2 lb).

Penguins usually live 15 to 20 years, depending on species. Penguins eat fish, krill and squid. They hunt their prey in water. They have no fear of humans because they do not consider us dangerous, and all in all penguins are really amazing animals.
The biggest problem for penguins are oil spills. Once oil gets on their feathers penguins are pretty much helpless to do anything about it. It is really difficult for penguins to avoid being coated by oil that floats on surface of the water. Penguins are often killed by empty tankers too. Tankers must fill their tanks with water and later this oily water gets discharged into ocean causing death to many unlucky penguins.

Global warming is not fully affecting penguins, at least not yet since temperatures have not yet crossed the danger zone but further temperature increase (which is very likely to happen) could be another harmful factor affecting penguin population.

There are 12 penguin species considered "at risk" or endangered, and mostly due to human activities. The most famous ones, the ones that live in Antarctica are thankfully not endangered, because they're fairly isolated from the rest of the world, but if global warming continues to strengthen its impact, isolation won't be enough to help them survive.

Of all the penguin species African penguins are mostly at risk of becoming extinct. Their population is experiencing continuous decline due to many different factors such as egg collection, increase of commercial fishing (less food for penguins) and of course above mentioned oil spills and tankers.

Although penguins have natural predators like leopard seals, sharks, orcas, sea lions, humans are the ones mostly responsible for so many deaths of these cute and so funny looking animals. And that's really not funny. Not funny at all.