The Polar Retrospective looks back at events from the past week that are related to the Arctic and Antarctic and focuses on one or more aspects. This time, the focus lies on an emperor on a surfer’s beach, an Adélie not returning home and wandering albatrosses who don’t like strong winds. They all reveal new boundaries both geographically and biologically.
A young emperor penguin, thousands of kilometers away from its Antarctic home, waddles along the shores of Western Australia. An Adélie penguin, lost and bewildered, finds itself on the coast of New Zealand. These are not isolated incidents but rather alarming signs of a growing trend: Antarctic birds are increasingly wandering far from their traditional habitats, raising concerns about the impacts of climate change and environmental shifts on these vulnerable species.
An emperor in Denmark
In early November, a young emperor penguin was spotted on Ocean Beach in Denmark, Western Australia, captivating locals and baffling experts. This rare sighting, far outside the penguin’s usual range, prompted wildlife authorities to monitor the bird’s health. Initially, they adopted a hands-off approach, hoping the penguin would eventually return to the ocean and find its way back to Antarctica. However, as the bird remained on the beach, seemingly disoriented and losing weight, it was taken in by a wildlife carer for assessment and care.
🏊♂️ BREAKING: Emperor Penguin's Epic Swim from Antarctica to Australia! 🇦🇺
— Constituent 🇺🇸🌺🐦🕊️ 🕉️ (@808constituent) November 7, 2024
An Emperor penguin just pulled off a marathon swim like no other, trekking over 2000 miles from the frosty depths of Antarctica to the sandy beaches of Western Australia! 🐧🌊
It wasn't just a trip; it's… pic.twitter.com/QSZdR4gSrm
The penguin, nicknamed “Gus” by his rescuers, is currently undergoing rehabilitation. Experts believe he may have been caught in a strong current that swept him far from his colony. Gus’s case highlights the perils faced by these birds when they stray far from their natural environment. He is currently being kept in a special enclosure with a pool of chilled water and a diet of fish, and his progress is being closely monitored.
Too warm to return home
Meanwhile, an Adélie penguin, native to the Antarctic continent, was discovered exhausted and disoriented on a New Zealand beach. This small penguin, having traveled thousands of kilometers off course, was considered unable to return to its colony due to the warm weather in the area. As the animal had shown symptoms of heat stress during its release, experts believe the unseasonably elevated temperatures are a significant factor preventing its return as Adélie penguins are adapted to the frigid conditions of Antarctica.
This is not the first such incident; earlier this year, another Adélie penguin was found on a Wellington beach and taken to the zoo for quarantine and disease testing. These cases raise concerns about the health and well-being of these penguins when they stray so far from their natural habitat.
The Adélie penguin is currently being cared for by wildlife experts at a rehabilitation center, where it is receiving food and medical attention. It is being kept in a temperature-controlled environment to simulate its natural habitat. Its future remains uncertain, as the chances of successfully reintroducing it to its colony are slim.
Climate change affects behaviour
These incidents, while captivating, underscore a worrying reality. Antarctic birds, superbly adapted to the harsh conditions of their icy home, are increasingly being found in unfamiliar territories, often showing signs of distress or disorientation. While wandering behavior is not entirely new, the frequency and extent of these journeys are raising alarm bells among scientists.
Several factors may contribute to this phenomenon. Climate change is altering weather patterns and ocean currents, potentially disrupting the birds’ navigational cues and food sources. Rising sea temperatures can affect the distribution of prey species, forcing birds to travel further in search of food. Additionally, human activities, such as fishing and pollution, can further disrupt the delicate balance of the Antarctic ecosystem, leading to habitat degradation and food shortages. These changes can disorient birds, leading them astray and making it difficult for them to find their way back to their colonies.
Too strong to fly
A recent study published in Current Biology provides further evidence of the challenges faced by Antarctic birds in a changing world. Researchers at the University of Liverpool examined the impact of stormy conditions on the foraging ability of wandering albatrosses, large seabirds that breed on South Georgia in the southern Atlantic Ocean.
The study, led by Dr. Samantha Patrick, found that strong winds significantly reduced the albatrosses’ ability to feed. “On several occasions, we tracked wandering albatross flying in very strong storm winds,” explains Jamie Darby, first author of the study. “During these times, the logger data tell us that the albatrosses barely fed at all. Not only did they not manage to eat, but they also landed and took off more regularly”, he adds. This suggests that the turbulent conditions make it difficult for the birds to land on the water and search for prey and may even force them to spend extra energy to stay aloft.
Dr. Patrick also noted the potential long-term impacts of increased storm intensity: “This new research shows that even these wind-adapted albatrosses might be disadvantaged by more widespread extreme winds, as they are more likely to encounter conditions that make finding food difficult or dangerous.” As climate change intensifies storms and alters wind patterns, wandering albatrosses, like other Antarctic birds, may face increased difficulty in finding food, potentially impacting their survival and breeding success. This research highlights the vulnerability of these birds, even those adapted to extreme conditions, to the impacts of a changing climate.
While such stories may seem like isolated and single examples, they nonetheless ring the alarm bells with experts who expect a rising number of such events in the future. “It should be a really rare anomaly and not a frequent thing”, as one expert from New Zealand pointed out. But the reality shows that these iconic species are bound to move beyond their boundaries.
Dr. Michael Wenger, Polar Journal AG
Link to the study: Darby et al. (2024) Cur Biol EPub, Strong winds reduce foraging success in albatrosses; doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2024.10.018
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