Emperor penguins, the largest penguin species, are now listed as endangered following a new international assessment of how climate change is affecting their habitat and population. It is another grim sign of how human-induced climate change is harming ecosystems in Antarctica, where sea ice has fallen to record lows. Emperor penguins are known to be strong swimmers, but their chicks need the sea ice to keep out of the water before their plumage is ready to get wet. The fur seal is suffering because its food source, krill, is being pushed into deeper waters by climate change and warmer water temperatures. The assessment recommended closer monitoring of the emperor penguin's sea-ice habitat, using satellite surveys to better understand how their populations are changing.

Source: CBC News April 10, 2026 16:38 UTC