Due to the melting ice, one of the largest colonies of emperor penguins is almost extinct

Almost all descendants of one of the largest emperor penguin colonies have died from melting their habitat in the last three years, according to a study released Thursday that qualifies this case as "catastrophic".

The colony of Halley, in the Weddell Sea in the

L & # 39; Antarctica

It was until recently the second largest emperor penguin colony in the world, with nearly 25,000 breeding pairs each year.

But the satellite images studied by the British Antarctic Research Center (BAS) showed that in 2016, a year marked by particularly hot and stormy weather, the ice on which the penguins raised their babies was giving way all. the little ones, according to a statement. This phenomenon has been repeated in 2017 and 2018.

As a result, this colony "has almost disappeared," according to BAS.

"We've been following the population of this colony and other settlements in the area for 10 years, using high-definition satellite imagery," BAS's Peter Fretwell said.

"These images have clearly shown a catastrophic failure of reproduction on this site over the past three years," he added.

The research team found a marked increase in the size of a nearby colony, Dawson Lambton, suggesting that many of Halley's birds have migrated to a safer place.

According to BAS's expert, Phil Trathan, it's not possible to state unequivocally that the melting ice in Halley Bay is linked to climate change. "But this failure of reproduction on this site is unprecedented," he said.

The emperor is the largest of all penguins, but he is particularly vulnerable to climate change. Their population could decrease by 70% by the end of the century.

AFP Agency