World's second largest emperor penguin colony 'disappeared overnight' with thousands of chicks wiped

[G_j]

https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/emperor-penguins-deaths-sea-ice-collapse-climate-change-antarctic-a8885641.html

Thousands of chicks drowned when an ice shelf in Antartica collapsed

By Harry Cockburn 4/25

The world’s second largest emperor penguin colony is believed to have been effectively wiped out overnight, with thousands of chicks drowning when an ice shelf in Antarctica collapsed.

Since the catastrophic collapse of the ice sheet at Halley Bay in 2016, no breeding has been detected in the area, scientists say.

Usually 15,000 to 24,000 breeding pairs of emperor penguins flock each year to the breeding site – around 5-9 per cent of the entire global emperor penguin population.

The bay in the Weddell Sea was previously considered a refuge for penguins in one of the coldest parts of the continent and which was expected to remain suitable for penguins this century despite climate change affecting Antarctic sea ice.

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[theophilus]

1. Tragic beyond words. Many humans will join in the "Great Die Off" before long.

As humans, many of us had a choice and chose to be bloated and comfortable. Many humans do not make that choice but they will suffer because of the choices of others. The Life on this planet will suffer as well.

[FirstLight]

3. we've got 25 years,

My 16 yr old son came out of his room the other day and said that by 2045 we're essentially toast. The population will hit 8 billion and fresh water will be gone and the ice melt will have raised the sea level...

the planet will shed us like the vermin we are

[TheBlackAdder]

2. There is some good news in the article.

.

While the Halley Bay colony has now all but disappeared, the nearby Dawson-Lambton colony has markedly increased in size, indicating that many of the adult emperors have moved there, seeking better breeding grounds as environmental conditions continue to change.

The birds’ rapid relocation to a more stable breeding ground is significant and is encouraging, the scientists say, as until now it was not known whether the penguins would seek alternative sites in response to significant changes in their local environment.

.

[sweetroxie]

4. So very sad. Poor babies.

nt

[PufPuf23]

5. Earth has more rather than less of this type of mega-disaster not so far in the future.

Likely too late for humanity to do much.

[lindysalsagal]

6. The film was traumatizing enough...now this. We are ruining the planet with our greed.