Largest penguin colony suffers 'enormous population crash'
a day ago
- The world's largest penguin colony, on Zavodovski Island, has declined by two-thirds since 2011.
- The decline is most likely due to climate change, with rising temperatures pushing krill southward.
- Scientists warn this rapid loss increases the risk of a wider ecosystem collapse.
- Chinstrap penguins may need to be reclassified as an endangered species.
- Macaroni penguins on the same island increased by 30%, but not enough to offset the chinstrap loss.
- Other potential causes, such as volcanic eruptions or competition for food, were ruled out.