Sea ice around Antarctica has reached a record low: how it threatens penguins

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This winter in Antarctica, the sea ice that wraps the ocean around the continent reached a record low level.

Penguins, which breed and raise young on sea ice, are under threat, according to the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), writes Reuters.

Winter in Antarctica lasts from June to September.

The coldest winter month in the southern hemisphere, where Antarctica is located, is September, when the sea ice area reaches its maximum.

Photo: timwege/Depositphotos

The smallest record value was recorded by scientists on September 10 of this year, when the area of the ice was 16.96 million km².

The area is 1 million km² smaller than the previous record set in 1986 and the smallest since satellite observations began in 1979, scientists said.

“It’s not just a record year, it’s an extraordinary record year”,” said NSIDC senior scientist Walt Meyer.

According to scientists, the low level of ice will have a negative impact, in particular, on penguins, which breed and raise young on sea ice.

Melting ice will also contribute to global warming by reducing the amount of sunlight that the white ice reflects back into space.

We previously reported that thousands of emperor penguin chicks died in Antarctica as a result of global warming.

Read also: In part of the Pacific Ocean, the sea level is rising faster than the world average – UN