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Source: The post is based on the article “Unabated global warming will wipe penguins off this planet- All species deserve to survive regardless of their utility to humans” published in “Live Mint” on 4th September 2023.
Syllabus: GS3- Environment- climate change
News: The article talks about how global warming is making sea ice melt sooner in Antarctica. This is causing baby emperor penguins to die. It says we should save animals even if it doesn’t help humans directly.
Why are penguins in danger?
Global Warming: The main threat is global warming causing early sea ice melting in Antarctica.
Breeding Challenges: Emperor penguins need sea ice to breed and raise their chicks. Without stable ice, chicks face risks:
Drowning: Chicks aren’t ready to swim until December. Melting ice leads to their premature exposure to water.
Freezing: In 2010, after an unusual rainstorm, wet chicks froze before their feathers matured. Hundreds died as observed by geographer Peter Fretwell of the British Antarctic Survey.
Breeding Failures: Research from Nature Communications, Earth and Environment revealed alarming data:
In the Bellingshausen Sea, 19 out of 62 colonies failed to breed last year.
Penguins need consistent successful breeding. Young penguins have a high mortality rate, so continuous failures threaten colony survival.
Why should we care about penguins?
Natural Ecosystem: Penguins help us understand the balance and intricacies of the natural world.
Indicator Species: Their struggles signal broader environmental issues, like global warming.
Food Chain Impact: Losing sea ice affects krill, the base of the food chain in the Southern Ocean. This could lead to a collapse in fish populations that humans rely on for food.
Intrinsic Value: As highlighted by Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring,” creatures enhance life on Earth in intangible ways. Their mere presence adds to the world’s richness.
Legacy for Future: Protecting penguins ensures a diverse and vibrant ecosystem for future generations.
