Biologist P. Dee Boersma of the University of Washington has spent the last 30 years closely studying thepenguins, thosesea birdsflightless but capable of swimming and diving with great skill even in semi-frozen waters. After tracking them in the43 breeding “hot spots”that currently exist on our planet, has concluded thatclimate change is seriously affecting them, and that the situation will get worse in the coming years.
There are between 16 and 19 species of penguins, depending on which tool is used to classify them. The most important populations live in theAntarctica, theGalapagos Islands, New Zealandand thePatagoniaArgentina. “These animals are sentinels of the marine environment, and by observing them, researchers can see what changes the oceans of the southern hemisphere are experiencing,” explains Boersma. “After thirty years, I know first-hand how sensitive penguins are to the environment, and I have compiled my observations to show that we have entered an era of unprecedented change for marine ecosystems,” he says in the latest issue of the magazineBioScience.
In addition to climate change, penguins face another great enemy: oil. According to Boersma, oil spills can kill 20,000 adults and 22,000 young each year.
For all these reasons, Boersma recommends creating a non-governmental organization dedicated exclusively to permanently monitoring and protecting these animals. “Life promises to be increasingly difficult for penguins,” he warns.
The American Institute of Biological Sciences (www.aibs.org)
