Global Warming, Antarctica and Penguins

Adelie Penguins

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Emperor Penguins

Conservation

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Emperor Penguins are the largest Penguin species in the world. Growing up to 44 inches tall it is simply, as the name states, the emperor of all Penguins. They weigh up to about 40kg after feeding. Emperor penguins can only be found on Antarctica and a few of its surrounding islands. Emperor Penguins dislike open waters and can usually be found near large ice bergs or somewhere along the coast near water and land.

There are around 250, 000 emperor Penguins living in their natural habitats today. The emperor penguin had, for many years, a fairly stable population. They have never been classified as an endangered species and we hope to keep it this way for years to come.

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Unlike the Emperor penguin, the Adelie penguin is around 43cm tall when fully grown and usually only weighs around 5kg, somewhat less than its superior Emperors.

These little Penguins are not as adventurous as the Emperor, they prefer to stay inland going no further that the beginning stages of the pack ice. There are over 5 million Adelie penguins in Antarctica and their population is on the increase.

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As the big chunks of ice fall off the edges of Antarctica penguins are forced to move further inland. In January 2002, 3,250 km2 of the Larsen Ice Shelf disintegrated. Eugene Domack a Hamilton College geologist said that the Larsen Ice Shelf had been stable for over 12,000 years. This is the effect of global warming. When glaciers fracture and fall of the main part of Antarctica they fall into the ocean, thereby raising the sea level.

The Effect on Adelie Penguins: Adelie Penguins have lived on antarctica for over 600 years. Over the past 50 years there has been a substantial depletion of their population. The Adelie penguins face a rival threat. Chinstrap penguins. Years ago there was no Chinstrap penguins found in the Antarctic region at all but due to the changes in temperature caused by global warming they have moved to find a colder and better suited climate which can be found in Antarctica. Krill is the main source of food for penguins and other sea animals in Antarctica. Global warming has reduced the amount of surface ice where the Krill tend to reproduce and with more open water, snow falls and freezes the krill before they have a chance to live. So many penguins die of starvation in search of krill.

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Currently all 17 species of penguins are legally protected from hunting and egg collecting. At least three species are considered at risk. The Antarctic Treaty was signed by 12 nations in 1959 and reauthorized in 1991 to protect Antarctica and preserve its living resources. The Treaty makes it illegal to harm, or interfere with, a penguin or its eggs. Every penguin specimen collected with a permit must be approved by and reported to the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research. Protection of habitat began in the early 1900s. In 1919 the Tasmanian Government stopped all interference of penguins on Macquarie Island and made the island a sanctuary. The Conservation Assessment and Management Plan (CAMP) makes sure that the high risk animals such as penguins are protected from the interference of humans. Back

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Effect On The Emperor Penguin:. The emperor penguins are having a harder time of the whole global warming effect. Their numbers have decreased by over 50% in the last 50 years.

Like the Adelie penguin the Emperor penguins feed on krill and as I said before their numbers are also falling. This is an effect that warming has on Antarctica. The fact that it is getting colder is just as bad. As the krill numbers are low, the female penguins go off in search of food, while the male keeps the eggs warm. This journey of the female penguins search for food has increased and they take a great deal longer to find sufficient food supply for the waiting males. Eventually the male gets hungry, leaves the eggs, and the eggs may end up freezing. This is why the temperature must stay constant for the krill to regenerate and for the penguin eggs to hatch properly.

The other reason for the melting of the ice is the natural occurrences of circumpolar waves which make a cold/warm cycle every 8 years. In the 70s there was an ongoing warm which had a devastating effect on the penguins. These are the main signs and effects of global warming.