Ukrainian polar researchers in Antarctica have recorded a record-early return of penguins
Ukrainian polar researchers at the “Academician Vernadsky” station recorded a record-early return of thousands of sub-Antarctic penguins to Galíndez Island.
This year, the birds began returning en masse to their nesting sites as early as the second half of August, although they usually arrive on the island from mid-September to mid-October.
The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine noted that this year, sub-Antarctic penguins left Galindez later than ever before.
“Just recently, we reported that these birds left Galindez Island—where the station is located—later than ever before. While in previous years they departed around May, this year they stayed until the second half of July (we remind you that it is winter in Antarctica),” the biologists noted.
However, the opposite then occurred—the penguins began returning much earlier than usual.
Previously, the mass return of the birds occurred mainly between mid-September and mid-October. This year, the polar researchers spotted thousands of penguins as early as the second half of August.
Oleg Goryainov, a biologist with the 31st Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition, explained that in June and July, the penguins were mainly observed in one location—Penguin Point.
“Interestingly, in June and July we mostly observed them in one location—at Penguin Point. It’s located on an island on the opposite side of the station and has a convenient, gentle slope leading down to the water. Now, after our return, the birds have already spread out along the shore all the way to the station building. We can see them from the windows,” the biologist shared.
According to the researcher, the penguins are already occupying the areas where they usually nest.
Ukrainian polar researchers have so far counted at least 3,500 birds on the island, and this number continues to grow.
Biologists believe the early return may be linked to changes in the ice conditions around Galindez and rising ocean temperatures.
In late July, when the penguins left the island, ice had formed around Galindez. The water temperature at that time dropped to -1.9°C, which is below the freezing point.
Subsequently, the ocean began to warm, and the ice gradually receded. After that, Ukrainian researchers began to observe a mass return of the birds.
The National Antarctic Scientific Center does not rule out the possibility that climate change and further warming in the area around the island could alter the behavior of sub-Antarctic penguins.
“So it is quite possible that in the coming years, climate change and warming will lead to sub-Antarctic penguins generally not leaving Galindez. And they will become not only the most numerous but also the most constant neighbors of Ukrainian polar researchers,” the NASC noted.
Thus, this year’s behavior of the penguins on Galindez is unusual in several respects: they left the island later than ever before and then returned earlier than ever before.
This was reported by the National Antarctic Scientific Center on Facebook.
Earlier, Ukrainian researchers at the “Academician Vernadsky” station recorded the penguins’ departure from Galindez Island at a record-late date. Such a late start to the migration of these birds had never been observed throughout the entire research period.
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