A never-before-seen emperor penguin colony — considered one of solely 66 recognized to exist — has been noticed accidentally in satellite pictures of West Antarctica that clearly present their guano, or droppings, staining the ice.
The colony is estimated to be dwelling to about 1,000 grownup birds, in 500 pairs with their younger, which makes it comparatively small for an emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) breeding website. However it’s an essential addition to what’s recognized of the species.
Peter Fretwell (opens in new tab), a geographic data officer with the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), found the colony in December; however the announcement was delayed in order that it coincided with Penguin Consciousness Day, which is held on Jan. 20 every year.
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Fretwell informed Reside Science that he was sea ice loss in pictures from the European Area Company’s two Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites (opens in new tab) when he noticed the distinctive indicators of an emperor penguin colony. “I might see what appeared like a really small brown stain on the ice,” he stated.
Increased decision pictures of the identical space taken in October by the Maxar WorldView-3 satellite (opens in new tab), which might picture objects as small as 12 inches (30 centimeters) throughout, confirmed the presence of the breeding colony, close to West Antarctica’s Verleger Level, Fretwell stated.
As a result of the penguins’ guano accumulates and s
tains the ice and snow a deep-brown coloration, it’s a lot simpler to see from afar than the emperor penguins themselves. However the high-resolution pictures additionally present particular person emperor penguins — pictured as tiny dots — and the inhabitants estimate relies on these, Fretwell stated.
Seabirds by satellite
Emperor penguin colonies are sometimes distant and troublesome to review, however BAS scientists have found a number of in satellite images of Antarctica’s shoreline over the previous 15 years. Current satellite analysis has even steered that there may very well be round 20% extra emperor penguins within the Antarctic than beforehand estimated.
Emperor penguins solely breed on packed sea ice. This reliance on sea ice, nevertheless, additionally makes the penguins susceptible to its loss in a warming local weather; and West Antarctica has already been badly affected.
“Final yr we had the minimal ever sea ice extent in Antarctica, and this yr is even worse, for 2 consecutive years,” Fretwell stated. “It is estimated that we’ll most likely lose a minimal of 80% of emperor penguin colonies earlier than the top of the century.”
Because of this risk from climate change, emperors are actually listed as a threatened species (opens in new tab) below the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
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Stately penguins
Emperor penguins are the tallest and heaviest of all penguins, usually reaching as much as 39 inches (100 cm) in peak and weighing as much as 100 kilos (45 kilograms.) They get their title from their dramatic black, white and yellow plumage.
Emperors spend many of the Antarctic summer season diving for fish, crustaceans and krill. They breed throughout the darkish winter months on the floor of the packed sea ice, generally greater than 30 miles (50 kilometers) from the open ocean, and the place temperatures can dip as little as minus 76 levels Fahrenheit (minus 60 Celsius).
Fretwell lately visited Antarctica to look at one other giant emperor penguin colony by aerial drone, to verify the numerical estimates of penguin breeding colonies solely seen in satellite pictures.
And whereas he obtained shut sufficient to odor the penguin poop, it wasn’t that dangerous, he stated.
As a result of emperor penguin colonies are on sea ice, a lot of the guano is frozen and does not odor — in contrast to the colonies of penguins that breed amongst rocks, the place the odor could be intense. “The emperors are extra stately and never as smelly as different penguins,” he stated.
Initially printed on LiveScience.com.
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