Melting Ice Threatens Emperor Penguin Environment
2021-08-09
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1Climate change is threatening the sea ice environment of Emperor penguins.
2A new study suggests that 98 percent of Emperor penguin groups may be pushed close to extinction by the year 2100.
3And about 70 percent of their groups will be in danger by 2050.
4The research was published in the journal Global Change Biology.
5The United States Fish and Wildlife Service recently announced a plan to list the Emperor penguins as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
6Stephanie Jenouvrier is a penguin ecologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
7She said that Emperor penguins need secure sea ice to reproduce, to feed and to molt.
8Molting is the replacement of their old feathers with new ones.
9The new study looked at overall warming developments and the increasing likelihood of extreme weather changes because of global warming.
10The study noted that extremely low levels of sea ice in 2016 led to a large reproduction failure of an Emperor penguin group in Antarctica's Halley Bay.
11That year, seasonal sea ice broke up before young penguins had time to develop waterproof adult feathers.
12About 10,000 baby birds drowned, Jenouvrier said.
13The group did not recover afterward.
14Emperor penguins reproduce only in Antarctica during winter.
15Temperatures can reach minus 40 degrees Celsius, and wind speeds can reach 144 kilometers per hour.
16The penguins survive by gathering in groups of several thousand birds.
17But they cannot survive without enough sea ice.
18Sarah Uhlemann is international program director at the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity.
19She said, "These penguins are hard hit by the climate crisis, and the U.S. government is finally recognizing that threat."
20The U.S. government has listed other species outside the country as threatened, including the polar bear.
21Polar bears live in Arctic areas and are also threatened by climate change and sea ice loss.
22Emperor penguins are the world's largest penguins.
23There are currently between 625,000 and 650,000 of them worldwide.
24Placing Emperor penguins on the threatened list provides protections, such as a ban against importing them for business purposes.
25Possible effects on the penguins must also be studied by U.S. sea fisheries currently operating in Antarctica.
26Martha Williams is principal deputy director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
27She said climate change affects many animal species around the world.
28She added, "The decisions made by policymakers today and during the next few decades will determine the fate of the Emperor penguin."
29I'm Jonathan Evans.
1Climate change is threatening the sea ice environment of Emperor penguins. 2A new study suggests that 98 percent of Emperor penguin groups may be pushed close to extinction by the year 2100. And about 70 percent of their groups will be in danger by 2050. The research was published in the journal Global Change Biology. 3The United States Fish and Wildlife Service recently announced a plan to list the Emperor penguins as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. 4Stephanie Jenouvrier is a penguin ecologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. She said that Emperor penguins need secure sea ice to reproduce, to feed and to molt. Molting is the replacement of their old feathers with new ones. 5The new study looked at overall warming developments and the increasing likelihood of extreme weather changes because of global warming. The study noted that extremely low levels of sea ice in 2016 led to a large reproduction failure of an Emperor penguin group in Antarctica's Halley Bay. 6That year, seasonal sea ice broke up before young penguins had time to develop waterproof adult feathers. About 10,000 baby birds drowned, Jenouvrier said. The group did not recover afterward. 7Emperor penguins reproduce only in Antarctica during winter. Temperatures can reach minus 40 degrees Celsius, and wind speeds can reach 144 kilometers per hour. The penguins survive by gathering in groups of several thousand birds. But they cannot survive without enough sea ice. 8Sarah Uhlemann is international program director at the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity. She said, "These penguins are hard hit by the climate crisis, and the U.S. government is finally recognizing that threat." 9The U.S. government has listed other species outside the country as threatened, including the polar bear. Polar bears live in Arctic areas and are also threatened by climate change and sea ice loss. 10Emperor penguins are the world's largest penguins. There are currently between 625,000 and 650,000 of them worldwide. 11Placing Emperor penguins on the threatened list provides protections, such as a ban against importing them for business purposes. Possible effects on the penguins must also be studied by U.S. sea fisheries currently operating in Antarctica. 12Martha Williams is principal deputy director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She said climate change affects many animal species around the world. She added, "The decisions made by policymakers today and during the next few decades will determine the fate of the Emperor penguin." 13I'm Jonathan Evans. 14Christina Larson reported on this story for the Associated Press. Jonathan Evans adapted this story for Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor. 15______________________________________ 16Words in This Story 17extinction - n. the state or situation that results when something such as a plant or animal species has died out completely 18fate - n. the things that will happen to a person or thing; the future that someone or something will have 19species - n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants; a group of related animals or plants that is smaller than a genus