Protecting Emperor Penguins

Emperor penguin and chick — Emperor penguin with chick

Emperor penguins breed, feed and raise their chicks on sea ice, and rely on sea ice ecosystems for food.

Over the past decade, entire generations of emperor penguin chicks have been lost due to warming oceans and reduced sea ice cover.

Researchers warn that if current trends continue, emperor penguins are on a path to extinction.

“The scientific evidence is clear – protection measures are needed to reverse current projections that the emperor penguin will face quasi-extinction by the end of the century.”
Emily Grilly, Antarctic Conservation Manager, WWF.

PROTECTING EMPEROR PENGUINS

You can help

In 2022, Antarctic Treaty nations considered a proposal to designate the emperor penguin as a Specially Protected Species within the Antarctic Treaty System.

It was blocked by a single nation.

With the generous support of our supporters, ASOC will continue to equip governments with the best available science and urge decision makers to protect the emperor penguin.

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Found only in Antarctica, emperor penguins are the largest member of the penguin family, the only penguin to breed in the Antarctic winter, and the deepest-diving bird on the planet.

ASOC Campaigners protest the possibility of mining in Antarctica in front of the U. S. Department of State.

Rally for Antarctica, May 2022. Brandenburg Gate, Berlin. Photo: Saskia Uppenkamp.

ASOC will continue to represent the conservation community at meetings of Antarctic decision makers, where we will push for the strongest possible protection for the emperor penguin.

We encourage Treaty parties to:

Protect the emperor penguin through domestic law,
Designate the emperor penguin a Specially Protected Species,
Urgently implement a Specially Protected Species Action Plan, and
Establish a representative network of Marine Protected Areas across the Southern Ocean.

Join us now and support the global effort to protect emperor penguins.

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PROTECTING EMPEROR PENGUINS

What ASOC is doing

We work with our members, partners, and a global network of Antarctic advocates to raise the profile of world-leading science and the urgent need to protect the emperor penguin.

Marine Protected Areas

ASOC strongly supports the establishment of a representative network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) across the Southern Ocean.

Designated MPAs are the most effective way to protect ocean ecosystems, and provide a legal mechanism for protecting emperor penguins.

By protecting large areas from fishing and pollution, MPAs provide refuges for vulnerable species whose habitat may be changing dramatically.

In 2023 Antarctic sea ice reached historic new lows, and a 2023 study suggests the Southern Ocean may have entered a ‘new sea ice state’, signaling that sea ice will continue to decline.

As emperor penguins are forced to adapt to a warmer ocean and uncertain changes in their sea ice habitat, MPAs can offer a buffer against additional stressors.

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Within CCAMLR

ASOC monitors all issues that impact the Antarctic environment, including fisheries management, biological prospecting, and pirate fishing.

As the only official environmental NGO observer at CCAMLR meetings, we present science-based policy proposals and provide Treaty parties with reliable information on how to protect Antarctic wildlife and the environment.

This includes advocating for the strongest possible protections for emperor penguins, their habitat, and the marine life they depend on for survival.

Learn more about CCAMLR.

Within the Antarctic Treaty System

ASOC vocally supported the 2022 proposal to designate the emperor penguin a Specially Protected Species and urgently implement a Specially Protected Species Action Plan.

We will continue to support similar proposals in the future, and advocate for individual nations to implement legally binding measures to protect emperor penguins at the domestic level.

The Polar Code

The International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code) aims to avoid environmental damage in the remote and sensitive polar regions.

Black carbon (soot) is produced when fossil fuels burn, for example, in diesel engines and generators on ships.

These microscopic particles can settle on sea ice, darkening their surface and making them melt more quickly.

A 2022 study published in nature.com found elevated concentrations of black carbon in the snow around popular Antarctic tourism sites and research stations, compared to other areas of Antarctica.

ASOC is calling for reductions in black carbon emissions through the use of technology such as particulate filters, which could virtually eliminate further damage from black carbon.

Download our black carbon infographic.

ASOC continues to participate in international meetings where the Polar Code is on the agenda. We present decision-makers with policy papers backed by the best available science, advocating for strong protection for emperor penguins and the Antarctic environment.

Read about our campaign to strengthen the Polar Code.

Learn more about the Polar Code.

Sources:
Fretwell, P.T., et al. (2023) Record low 2022 Antarctic sea ice led to catastrophic breeding failure of emperor penguins. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00927-x
Lee JR, et al. (2022). Threat management priorities for conserving Antarctic biodiversity. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3001921
Trathan P.N., et al (2020). The emperor penguin – Vulnerable to projected rates of warming and sea ice loss. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2019.108216.

PROTECTING EMPEROR PENGUINS

Support the campaign

Thanks to the generous support of a global network of Antarctic advocates, ASOC continues to push for the strongest possible protections for emperor penguins. Join us today.

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Penguins

Discover the penguins of Antarctica.

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Marine Protection

Learn about the global campaign.

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Life on ice

How melting ice affects penguins.

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Climate Crisis

Parts of Antarctica are changing rapidly.

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Antarctic life

Learn all about life in Antarctica.

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Now is the time to act. As the climate crisis continues and Antarctic sea ice cover reaches historic lows, we must take urgent action to protect emperor penguins and their polar habitat.

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PROTECTING EMPEROR PENGUINS