Antarctic Chinstrap Penguins colonies decline by more than 75 per cent over 50 years

Scientists have reportedly predicted that penguin colonies in some parts of Antarctica have drastically declined by a shocking 75 per cent over past half-century due to climate change. According to reports, Chinstrap Penguins found on Elephant Island, also rewned as ringed or bearded penguins, have diminished due to a loss of habitat.

scientists from Greenpeace Mission at penguin habitat rast of Antarctic Peninsula told international media reporters that Penguins have experienced drastic population fall since y were last surveyed 50 years ago in year 1971. y said that biggest decline of penguins about 77 per cent was recorded at Chinstrap Camp colony. re was a total of 122,550 pairs of penguins on Elephant Island, but count has revealed that only 52,786 pairs are remaining.

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Reduced sea level and melting ice caps

Scientists attributed decline to reduced sea level and melting of ice caps due to rise in global temperature, suggest reports. ah Strycker, an ornithologist and penguin researcher at Stony Brook University told media that Climate change was underlying factor for reduction of krill, main component of penguins' diet, its impact was rippling through food chain.

Penguins, seals, and whales all depend on krill, which depends on ice. refore if climate change affects ice, that impacts everything else, he added. decline has hit Chinstrap penguins severely.

Hear J. Lynch, associate professor of ecology and evolution at New York's Stony Brook University and one of expedition's research leads told reporters that Antarctic region has hit an all-time high temperature, 18.3 degree Celsius, that dismantled food web resulting in significant decline in penguins and altered Sourn Ocean's ecosystem in last 50 years.

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(With ncy inputs)