Peering through binoculars from an inflatable motorboat bobbing in frigid waters, polar ecology researchers Michael Wethington and Alex Borowicz scan a rocky outcrop on Antarctica's Andersson Island for splatterings of red-brown guano that might signal a colony of penguins nearby.
The birds have become far more than an iconic symbol of the earth鈥檚 frozen south. Scientists now use them as key indicators for understanding climate change near the South Pole 鈥 with certain western regions like the Antarctic Peninsula having undergone rapid warming, while East Antarctica remains cold and capped in ice.
"We are counting penguin nests to understand how many penguins are in a colony, producing chicks every year, and whether that number is going up or down with the environmental conditions," said Borowicz, of Stony Brook University in New York.
For climate researchers, nothing is easy in the remote and icy reaches of Antarctica. But penguins are easier to track than other species because they nest on land and their black feathers and their waste can be spotted against the white expanse.
"We can use penguins as a bioindicator to see how the rest of the ecosystem is operating," said Wethington, also of Stony Brook.
Simple counts of individual penguins alongside other methods like analyzes of satellite images tell a nuanced story, with some penguins dubbed 'winners' as climate change opens new habitats, while others are forced to seek colder climes.
Gentoo penguins, with bright red-orange beaks and distinctive white markings on their heads, are partial to open water without chunks of ice bobbing around.
When temperatures on the Antarctic Peninsula began rising faster than almost anywhere else in the world during the latter half of the 20th century, gentoo populations expanded southwards in what some scientists call the "gentoofication" of Antarctica.
"Gentoo penguins don't like sea ice," said David Ainley, a biologist with the ecological consulting firm H.T. Harvey & Associates who has been studying penguins for more than 50 years. 鈥淭hey mostly forage over the continental shelf and don鈥檛 go far out to sea.鈥
As sea ice has decreased along the western side of the peninsula, gentoos have taken advantage of the hospitable conditions. But the same conditions have been worse for tuxedo-wearing Adelies, who rely on sea ice for breeding and feeding.
"When we find Adelie penguins, we typically know that sea ice is nearby," Wethington said. "And whenever we've seen sea ice declining or disappearing altogether, then we're seeing corresponding Adelie penguin populations decline substantially."
Though widespread Adelie penguins are increasing in number overall, some populations have fallen by more than 65 percent.
On their January expedition to the region, the Stony Brook scientists found that Adelie colonies around the still-icy Weddell Sea had remained stable during the past decade.
"This peninsula is maybe a safe space as we see climate change progressing and overall warming throughout the globe," Wethington said.
Heather Lynch, an ecologist at Stony Brook University who helped lead the expedition aboard the MV Arctic Sunrise, said the findings highlighted the region's conservation value.
In 2020, a team from the British Antarctic Survey discovered 11 new emperor penguin colonies from satellite images, boosting known emperor penguin colonies by 20 percent.
But since 2016 nearly every chick has perished in the Halley Bay colony along the far eastern side of the Weddell Sea, which has long been home to the world's second largest emperor penguin colony, with some 25,000 breeding pairs gathering every year.
Scientists suspect the 2016 El Ni帽o event changed the sea ice dynamic in the area, and worry for the penguins as climate change increases the frequency and severity of El Ni帽o events.
While the chicks' deaths were not a direct result of climate change, "there is a climate change aspect to the loss," said Peter Fretwell, a geographic information scientist at the British Antarctic Survey.
The RCMP is alleging Indian diplomats and consular officials based in Canada engaged in clandestine activities linked to serious criminal activity in this country, including homicides and extortions.
B.C. NDP leader David Eby took a break from campaigning Monday to address stunning new allegations from the RCMP that Indian diplomats and consular officials are linked to violent criminal activity on Canadian soil.
'Escalating incidents' between two Hamilton high schools are believed to be connected to a car crash last week that left a 15-year-old boy dead, police say.
A major American retailer has stopped selling its new winter-themed candle over backlash from shoppers who said its design resembled Ku Klux Klan hoods.
The 15th-century explorer Christopher Columbus was a Sephardic Jew from Western Europe, Spanish scientists said on Saturday, after using DNA analysis to tackle a centuries-old mystery.
The father of a 10-year-old girl found dead in her home in England fled to Pakistan and called U.K. police from there to say he had killed her, a jury heard Monday.
Four guests at an Airbnb east of Toronto made off with a quarter of million dollars worth of jewelry following their stay, police say.
As provincial elections play out in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick this month, there are pledges to provide more fertility treatment coverage.
Embattled B.C. Conservative candidate Brent Chapman is under fire once again, this time for past Facebook comments casting doubt on the official accounts of mass shooting events in Canada and the U.S.
B.C. NDP leader David Eby took a break from campaigning Monday to address stunning new allegations from the RCMP that Indian diplomats and consular officials are linked to violent criminal activity on Canadian soil.
Embattled B.C. Conservative candidate Brent Chapman is under fire once again, this time for past Facebook comments casting doubt on the official accounts of mass shooting events in Canada and the U.S.
'Escalating incidents' between two Hamilton high schools are believed to be connected to a car crash last week that left a 15-year-old boy dead, police say.
Four guests at an Airbnb east of Toronto made off with a quarter of million dollars worth of jewelry following their stay, police say.
British Columbia's New Democratic Party says it is responsible for a parody social media post that has B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad promising to bring back McDonald's McRib sandwiches.
The Alberta government is proposing additional restrictions on wind and solar farms that conservationists think are more about limiting renewable energy than protecting the environment.
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris announced a plan on Monday to give Black men more economic opportunities and other chances to thrive as she works to energize a key voting bloc that has Democrats concerned about a lack of enthusiasm.
An Israeli airstrike hit an apartment building in northern Lebanon on Monday, killing at least 21 people, according to the Lebanese Red Cross.
The tech consultant charged in Cash App founder Bob Lee's stabbing death had no motive to kill him and in fact was forced to defend himself against Lee, who had become aggressive while on a multiday drug bender, lawyers for Nima Momeni said in opening statements Monday.
Florida counties hard hit by Hurricane Milton are returning to a semblance of normalcy, with power restored to most areas on Monday, gas stations reopening and students preparing to return to school.
A bus carrying university students crashed and overturned on a highway in northeastern Egypt Monday, killing 12 people and injuring 33 others, the health ministry said in a statement.
Russia said Monday it captured the village of Levadne in southern Ukraine as it probes for weaknesses along the war 's roughly 1,000-kilometre (600-mile) front line, including in eastern areas that are the main focus of Moscow's military effort before winter arrives.
The RCMP is alleging Indian diplomats and consular officials based in Canada engaged in clandestine activities linked to serious criminal activity in this country, including homicides and extortions.
Three in four Canadians support defence spending on new submarines, according to a new survey from Nanos Research and 愛污传媒.
The free trade agreement with ASEAN is expected to be signed at the end of 2025. If Trudeau is pressured to step down, or if his government falls and loses the next election, Trudeau will not, as prime minister, be there to see the fruits of his labour.
As provincial elections play out in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick this month, there are pledges to provide more fertility treatment coverage.
Your nose may be more powerful than you think.
An outbreak of a rare parasitic disease has been linked to undercooked bear meat eaten by dozens of people at a gathering in North Carolina, a new U.S. CDC report has revealed.
A so-called 'Moon Tree,' grown with seeds that were flown around the moon, was planted at a California school.
A NASA spacecraft rocketed away Monday on a quest to explore Jupiter鈥檚 tantalizing moon Europa and reveal whether its vast hidden ocean might hold the keys to life.
The 15th-century explorer Christopher Columbus was a Sephardic Jew from Western Europe, Spanish scientists said on Saturday, after using DNA analysis to tackle a centuries-old mystery.
Sean 鈥淒iddy鈥 Combs was hit Monday with a new wave of lawsuits accusing him of raping women, sexually assaulting men and molesting a 16-year-old boy. It is the first time he鈥檚 been sued by a person alleging they were abused as a minor.
Canadian stand-up comedian and former talk show host Mike Bullard has died.
Jamie Foxx hadn鈥檛 been on stage for 18 years, but he returned recently for a very special reason.
The tech consultant charged in Cash App founder Bob Lee's stabbing death had no motive to kill him and in fact was forced to defend himself against Lee, who had become aggressive while on a multiday drug bender, lawyers for Nima Momeni said in opening statements Monday.
The Nobel memorial prize in economics was awarded Monday to three economists who have studied why some countries are rich and others poor and have documented that freer, open societies are more likely to prosper.
A major American retailer has stopped selling its new winter-themed candle over backlash from shoppers who said its design resembled Ku Klux Klan hoods.
S岣祑x瘫w煤7mesh 脷xwumixw (Squamish Nation) Chef Paul Natrall, the man behind Indigenous food truck Mr. Bannock, is bringing cooking classes on First Nations fare to schools and offices throughout Metro Vancouver.
The Celtic Colours Festival is taking place at venues around Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia from Oct. 11 to 19.
This spooky season some people are opting to recycle old costumes in a bid to make Halloween more sustainable 鈥 and affordable.
Major League Baseball's postseason is averaging 3.33 million viewers going into the league championship series, an 18% increase over last year's average of 2.82 million.
Utah Hockey Club right-wing Dylan Guenther, Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel have been named the NHL鈥檚 three stars of the week.
It was a record breaking year at the Valley Harvest Marathon in Wolfville, N.S., on Saturday and Sunday.
The Ontario Provincial Police says the number of fatal collisions caused by distracted driving on the roads it patrols has increased by 40 per cent compared to this time last year.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled on Thursday his vision of a 'a fun, exciting future,' an 'age of abundance' full of his company鈥檚 self-driving cars without steering wheels, parking lots turned into parks and robots that will walk among the population 鈥 that he once again promised would be available within a few years.
Dozens of cars were pulled out of the Detroit River in west Windsor on Tuesday, causing many questions for Windsorites.
S岣祑x瘫w煤7mesh 脷xwumixw (Squamish Nation) Chef Paul Natrall, the man behind Indigenous food truck Mr. Bannock, is bringing cooking classes on First Nations fare to schools and offices throughout Metro Vancouver.
The Celtic Colours Festival is taking place at venues around Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia from Oct. 11 to 19.
Sometimes love is written in the stars, but for one couple, it鈥檚 written in the aurora borealis.
Canadian hip hop artist Dillan King says running 100 marathons in 100 days was not only the hardest thing he has ever done, but the 'proudest accomplishment' of his entire life.
James Taylor never expected to be walking home with a bag full of groceries he didn't buy.
This weekend marks the fifth anniversary of a large blizzard that paralyzed Manitoba.
There was an eye-catching mix of rainbows and lightning over Vancouver following a brief downpour this week.
Jeff Warner from Aidie Creek Gardens in the northern Ontario community of Englehart has a passion for growing big pumpkins and his effort is paying off in more ways than one.
Saskatchewan鈥檚 Jessica Campbell has made hockey history, becoming the first ever female assistant coach in the National Hockey League (NHL).
There are fewer people planning to vote B.C. Conservative following last week's televised leaders' debate, according to a new survey that found most viewers felt John Rustad performed "poorly" against his political rivals.
B.C. NDP leader David Eby took a break from campaigning Monday to address stunning new allegations from the RCMP that Indian diplomats and consular officials are linked to violent criminal activity on Canadian soil.
The B.C. Conservative Party has promised to build a new children's hospital for families south of the Fraser River, though details on the proposal are currently slim.
The RCMP is alleging Indian diplomats and consular officials based in Canada engaged in clandestine activities linked to serious criminal activity in this country, including homicides and extortions.
A 22-year-old woman who was struck by the driver of a school bus in Toronto鈥檚 Upper Beach area last Wednesday has died, say police.
Students are returning to a Jewish girls' school in Toronto two days after it was struck with gunfire for the second time this year.
Calgary libraries will reopen on Wednesday following a cyber security breach.
Calgary Fire Department (CFD) crews responded to a gas leak in the city鈥檚 northwest Monday afternoon.
The RCMP is alleging Indian diplomats and consular officials based in Canada engaged in clandestine activities linked to serious criminal activity in this country, including homicides and extortions.
The Ottawa Police Service says a man found suffering from burns in the downtown core Monday morning died in hospital.
On Monday, the Mission capped off its annual Thanksgiving tradition with a meal for anyone who needed one.
On Monday morning, officers stopped a vehicle that was travelling the wrong way on Baseline Road in Ottawa.
Urgences-sant茅 has confirmed that an ambulance was dispatched to a residence in C么te-Saint-Luc following reports of a possible drowning involving a man in his 60s.
A Montreal suburb has received a provincial Environment Department permit to go ahead with a long-awaited white-tailed deer cull in a local park that has become overrun with them.
Firefighters with the Montreal Fire Service extinguished a two-alarm fire at a vacant building in the Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough on Sunday night.
The Alberta government is proposing additional restrictions on wind and solar farms that conservationists think are more about limiting renewable energy than protecting the environment.
The RCMP is alleging Indian diplomats and consular officials based in Canada engaged in clandestine activities linked to serious criminal activity in this country, including homicides and extortions.
Boyle Street Community Services and the Bissel Centre, Edmonton organizations that help people dealing with homelessness and poverty, partnered with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology's culinary program to feed hundreds for the annual holiday at the downtown Boyle Street Plaza.
Halifax police have charged a 41-year-old man in the death of his mother.
The Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) is reminding residents that the second of two advance voting days for the 2024 Municipal and Conseil scolaire acadien provincial election will take place on Tuesday.
鈥淜en is a dreamer鈥: Saint John singer-songwriter Ken Tobias passes away at 79.
Old buildings can be a little spooky this time of year, but none like the Boyd House in Winnipeg鈥檚 Osborne Village.
Sometimes love is written in the stars, but for one couple, it鈥檚 written in the aurora borealis.
If you have leftover seeds from your squash soup or pumpkin carving, the Prairie Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre is asking you to donate them instead of throwing them away.
Saskatchewan residents have just a few more days to catch a rare glimpse of a comet visible to the naked eye, streaking across the western skies at dusk.
With Saskatchewan's election set for Oct. 28, many voters may be wondering what candidates are running in their local ridings.
Long-time residents of Regina and those who are new to the city and the country gathered together for a Thanksgiving celebration.
Hundreds of people bundled up to take part in a longstanding Thanksgiving Day tradition in Kitchener.
According to police, when officers arrived they found the house fully engulfed in flames and were unable to make entry.
Police are looking for a missing 14-year-old boy from Kitchener.
Saskatchewan residents have just a few more days to catch a rare glimpse of a comet visible to the naked eye, streaking across the western skies at dusk.
With Saskatchewan's election set for Oct. 28, many voters may be wondering what candidates are running in their local ridings.
As provincial elections play out in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick this month, there are pledges to provide more fertility treatment coverage.
A Greater Sudbury woman is upset about the charges laid against the man accused of attacking her son and a group of his colleagues downtown on Saturday.
A 36-year-old man is charged with drug-impaired and dangerous driving after a head-on crash in northwest Ontario last Thursday.
A major American retailer has stopped selling its new winter-themed candle over backlash from shoppers who said its design resembled Ku Klux Klan hoods.
One person has died and three others were transported to hospital following a three-vehicle collision in St. Clair Township
Smash Pickleball is the region鈥檚 only indoor facility dedicated specifically to the sport.
A Harriston man has been charged after police said the operator of an ATV crashed into a vehicle parked on Queen Street South in Harrison.
The Busby Centre in Barrie held a first-ever Thanksgiving meal Monday afternoon, serving meals to more than 150 people.
Provincial police remind motorists about the importance of buckling up after an officer discovered a passenger sitting on a kitchen chair inside the vehicle during a traffic stop in the Town of the Blue Mountains.
A recent study ranks Barrie last among large Canadian cities regarding homeowners who have paid off their mortgage.
Chatham-Kent police say a 37-year-old Merlin man has died after a two-vehicle collision.
Windsor has the fifth highest rate of mortgage-free homeowners in Canada, according to a study by Casivoo.
The Town of Tecumseh is getting $1,789,764 from the Ontario government to help renew and rehabilitate critical infrastructure.
Embattled B.C. Conservative candidate Brent Chapman is under fire once again, this time for past Facebook comments casting doubt on the official accounts of mass shooting events in Canada and the U.S.
B.C. NDP leader David Eby took a break from campaigning Monday to address stunning new allegations from the RCMP that Indian diplomats and consular officials are linked to violent criminal activity on Canadian soil.
A key assumption about dwindling numbers of southern resident killer whales pins the blame on a lack of salmon, but a study out of the University of British Columbia has found they have twice the number of chinook available in summer as their much healthier cousins, the northern residents.
Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.
A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.
Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.
The Vancouver Giants scored late to force overtime before winning 4-3 over the Lethbridge Hurricanes Friday night.
If you鈥檙e looking for something to do this long weekend, the Lethbridge Corn Maze is open and hosting its annual fundraiser on Monday.
Local photographers were amazed by the aurora borealis display in the night sky over Lethbridge on Thursday night.
A 36-year-old man is charged with drug-impaired and dangerous driving after a head-on crash in northwest Ontario last Thursday.
Provincial police in Hearst, Ont., stopped an unlicensed northwestern Ontario driver for a聽morning traffic infraction.
A 32-year-old woman has been charged in connection with the death of an 18-year-old man this past January, according to Ontario Provincial Police.
A five-hour drive from St. John's, N.L., and well off the beaten path, Point Leamington seems an unlikely spot for a one-of-a-kind tourist attraction.
A Conservative MP from Newfoundland and Labrador says some small towns in his rural riding are overrun with crime, but police say they haven't received reports to that effect.
As millions in federal funding flow into a Labrador group whose claims of Inuit identity have been rejected by Indigenous organizations across Canada, a national Inuit leader worries the Liberal government is putting the rights of Indigenous Peoples at risk.
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