Gepubliceerd op 7 september 2023
In 2022, sea ice extent in Antarctica was the lowest ever recorded in the satellite era. A recent study, published in the prestigious Communications Earth & Environment scientific journal, revealed that during that year, four emperor penguin colonies 'skipped a generation' due to the premature melting of sea ice in the Bellingshausen Sea, located in western Antarctica.
This discovery was made possible through the use of Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite data, providing direct observation of entire colonies failing to raise any chicks. This image, acquired on 10 December 2022, by Copernicus Sentinel-2A, shows the coastal area of Smyley Island, one of the areas home to the penguin colonies.
The sea ice in this area was predicted to last until the end of January the following year, but as shown in the picture, it had already melted, resulting in the unfortunate death of the penguin chicks."
Source:
The absence of sea ice has led to the deaths of thousands of penguins in Antarctica. (2023, September 7). Copernicus | Image of the Day.