About half of the king penguin population nests on the Crozet and Prince Edward Islands, in the Indian Ocean south of Madagascar, and are projected to lose their habitat by 2100, according to the model. But, the researchers said, some of that would be offset by the colonization of Bouvet Island and a few other islands. But unlike their bigger cousins the emperor penguins, king penguins can’t nest on ice so their choices are limited and may be hundreds or even thousands of miles from their current nesting areas. More Reporting on PenguinsGenetically, all the king penguins belong to one population, though they are dispersed by thousands of miles, suggesting they already migrate somewhat among the islands, he said. “These are kind of poster children for what’s going to happen with climate change,” Dr. Fraser said.

Source: New York Times February 26, 2018 16:16 UTC