Penguins take extreme measures as breeding season shifts amid climate crisis

The breeding season of the Gentoo penguin in Antarctica has leaped forward by 14 days, sparking concern amongst scientists, Euronews writes.

Antarctic penguins are going to extreme lengths to adapt to the climate crisis, as scientists uncover a “record shift” in breeding patterns.

Penguin species such as the Adélie, Chinstrap and Gentoo live in one of the fastest-warming habitats on Earth – with temperatures at colony locations increasing up to four times faster than the Antarctic average.

Scientists examined changes in the timing of penguin breeding between 2012 and 2022. The results showed that the timing of the breeding season for all three species advanced at record rates. Gentoo penguins showed the biggest change, with an average advance of 13 days per decade. In some colonies, the breeding season was brought forward by as much as 24 days.

“Even in the best-case scenario, it is unclear how much more elasticity these species will be capable of displaying if temperatures keep rising at the current rate,” the study warns.

Scientists warn that changes to breeding seasons can disrupt penguins’ access to food, a threat that is already responsible for thousands of penguin deaths in South Africa.