Global warming is melting sea ice so fast that more than half of Antarctica’s population of Emperor penguins is set to be wiped out by the end of the century, according to alarming new research saying they should be listed as an endangered species.

 

Not a single one of Antarctica’s 45 known colonies of Emperor penguins will be immune to melting sea ice, with at least two-thirds likely to see their populations decline by more than half, the report warns.

 

“If sea ice declines at rates projected by the climate models and continues to influence Emperor penguins as it did in the second half of the 20th century in Terre Adelie, none of the colonies, even the southern-most locations in the Ross Sea, will provide a viable refuge by the end of the 21st Century,” warned lead author Dr Stephanie Jenouvrier.

 

She called for the Emperor to be given “endangered species” status to help reduce the damage climate change is inflicting upon them.

 

The report acknowledges that such a classification would do nothing to save the sea-ice habitat of the species. However, it could prompt other actions that will help reduce the speed and magnitude of the population loss, the report argues.

 

These include identifying potential refuges – particularly in the Ross Sea, which is situated just below the South Pole and will be the last place impacted by climate change – and improving fishing practices to reduce the number accidentally caught in nets.

 

Emperor penguins routinely trek between 30 and 80 miles over the ice to catch and deliver krill – small crustaceans – and fish that are critical for their diet.