Wanderlust Travel Magazine (UK)
Instant expert: penguins
These web-footed wonders are big draws for those visiting Antarctica, but their future is in danger
Well, on 25 April it’s World Penguin Day – and for good reason. It was established to mark the day when the penguins of Antarctica typically migrate to the icy, glacier-studded waters north of the White Continent. Sadly, their future is now in the balance. Penguin statistics for Antarctica are tricky to obtain – not surprising given the environment they live in – but in 2017 it was claimed that there were as few as 12 million. It sounds large, but doesn’t take into account that numbers of chinstrap and Adélie penguins have halved over the last 50 years. By 2100, scientists predict numbers will dwindle further still.
Why are they under threat?
Loss of habitat, basically. Floating icebergs act as platforms for penguins to breed and hunt. Shrinking numbers run parallel to the melting Antarctic sea ice, which in 2017 hit an all-time low of just 2.28 million sq km. Plus, it doesn’t help that we’re catching their main food source, krill, for use in fish farms. While World Penguin Day helps to raise awareness, several organisations, including the WWF, Greenpeace and environmental NGO Oceanites, are helping to protect the White Continent. And progress is being made: in 2016, the world’s largest marine reserve – 1.55 million sq km, over twice the size of France – was created in the Ross Sea, banning fishing across much of it, protecting krill and, in turn, safeguarding penguins.
Great news. What can I do?
Tour groups can spread diseases among penguins, so if you’re lucky enough to make it to Antarctica, make sure that you obey the rules and disinfect your boots and clothes before going ashore. Also, you can support NGOS like Oceanites (oceanites.org), who track retreating ice and penguin numbers, by donating money. You can even fight the battle against overfishing closer to home and only buy fish certified by the Marine Stewardship Council – look for the blue label.