They warn that the early melting of Antarctica endangers emperor penguins

The survival of emperor penguins may be in serious danger according to a study released Thursday that found a "catastrophic" mortality among the chicks of several colonies in Antarctica as a result of early thaw caused by climate change.

Of the five colonies observed in the Bellingshausen Sea region of West Antarctica, all but one suffered a "catastrophic" loss of 100% of pups, drowning or freezing to death when the ice gave way under them, said the study published in the journal Springer Nature.

The researchers explained that these calves were not yet mature enough to face the harsh climatic conditions of the region, the AFP agency reported.

"This is the first major breeding failure of emperor penguins in multiple colonies at the same time, due to melting sea ice, and is likely a sign of what to expect in the future," said study lead author Peter Fretwell, a researcher with the British Antarctic Survey.

"We already predicted it a while ago, but seeing how it occurs de facto is ominous," he lamented.

During the southern spring of last year Antarctic sea ice, which is formed by the freezing of salty ocean water, had reached record melting rates, before falling in February to its lowest level since satellite measurements began 45 years ago. .

That early thaw occurred in the middle of the breeding season for that species, already complex and fragile.

These seabirds hatch in winter, starting in June, when temperatures are harsher, and the eggs hatch in September before the arrival of spring and the young reach their autonomy around January-February.

The emperor penguin population was made up of about 250,000 breeding pairs, all in Antarctica, according to a 2020 study.