With the continuance of global warming in 2023, Emperor penguins throughout Antarctica experienced the first complete breeding failure, with four out of five colonies unable to hatch a single chick.

In the past, the penguins have struggled to breed with the consistently melting sea ice, but it has never been seen at this scale. The colonies that suffered most were those in the central and Eastern Bellingshausen region, where there was complete ice loss recorded in 2022. In recent years, penguins have been shown to move to areas with more prominent ice. However, with rising sea levels, this technique can’t save their species; as scientists predict 90% of Emperor penguins are doomed to extinction within the next century.

“I think they can still come back, we do have a benefit of having captive breeding programs and zoos, but the problem is we also want them to be successful in their natural habitat. I think they need to do some research on why they are failing,” stated Kristol Blankenship, a Biology teacher here at HVHS.

Scientists continue to pinpoint the exact reasons for the breeding failures and are researching what actions can be taken to prevent the loss of more sea ice and rising temperatures, concluding if this is the effect of solely global warming, or if other components are playing a role.

Mrs. Blankenship supported this conclusion saying, “I don’t know if it’s necessarily global warming because our planet has had cyclical periods over hundreds of years with temperatures rising and falling. What’s going on could impact what’s happening in other species of birds or mammals.”

While researchers prolong their study of the penguins, it remains uncertain what steps can be taken next to protect the species and prevent the trend of breeding failures. Until then, animal lovers hold their hope for the penguins survival.