New emperor penguin colonies discovered in Antarctica after guano spotted from space
by Adam Morton from on (#6J41G)
Emperor penguins are the largest but least prevalent Antarctic penguin species, with scientists estimating a total population of about 600,000
Four new emperor penguin colonies have been discovered in Antarctica after their guano was spotted from space, giving what a leading scientist believes is a near-full picture of the species' population as it comes under threat due to disappearing sea ice.
A peer-reviewed study last year found a record drop in the amount of floating sea ice in the Bellingshausen Sea in late 2022 could have caused a catastrophic breeding failure" that killed thousands of emperor penguin chicks across four breeding colonies.
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