Penguin colony at risk as protection plan is rejected

 A huge colony of Adélie penguins in Antarctica is at risk after an international commission founded to preserve wildlife on the continent refused to establish a Marine Protection Area, despite pleas from conservationists.

The 18,000 pairs of penguins in Terre Adélie suffered a catastrophic breeding failure at the start of this year with only two chicks surviving.

It was hoped that the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources – which is meeting in Australia – would impose greater maritime restrictions on fisheries to protect feeding grounds.

Australia and the EU have been calling for a Marine Protected Area in eastern Antarctic waters since 2010 but when put to a vote yesterday, the proposal did not gain the necessary consensus to pass. Rod Downie, the head of polar programmes for World Wide Fund for Nature said: “It is hugely disappointing.”