<
https://theconversation.com/the-beloved-emperor-penguin-and-antarctic-fur-seal-are-now-officially-endangered-heres-what-can-be-done-280362>
"In 1902, British explorer Robert Falcon Scott spotted a large group of large
black and white birds at Ross Island, Antarctica. This was among the many
milestones of Scott’s famous
Discovery expedition: the first breeding colony
of emperor penguins.
Now, only 124 years since this penguin colony was discovered, emperor penguins
have officially been listed as endangered, along with the Antarctic fur seal.
As the world warms, Antarctic krill are shifting southwards and sea ice is
shrinking at record levels. And these unprecedented changes are having a domino
effect on these species.
These are the first penguin and pinniped – marine mammals that have front and
rear flippers – to be given this conservation status in the Southern Ocean.
Their perilous situation is a critical turning point, and shows how rapidly the
Antarctic environment is changing.
At the same time, the spread of highly contagious avian influenza, or bird flu,
adds a new and immediate threat to Southern Ocean wildlife, compounding the
pressures of climate change on stressed species."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
