Gentoo penguins surprise with early return

Thousands of gentoo penguins have returned unusually early to Galindez Island, near the Ukrainian Antarctic station Akademik Vernadsky. Just a few weeks earlier, the birds had left the island exceptionally late.

Biologists from the 31st Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition observed numerous gentoo penguins on Galindez Island, on the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, as early as the second half of August. By early September, at least 3,500 birds had already been counted, according to the Ukrainian National Antarctic Scientific Centre (NASC).

Normally, the penguins do not return to their breeding grounds in large numbers until between mid-September and mid-October. This year, they were back several weeks earlier. At the same time, many of the birds had only left Galindez in the second half of July, normally this happens as early as May. Their winter absence was therefore unusually short.

The researchers suspect a link with sea ice conditions and water temperature. At the end of July, sea ice formed around Galindez. Once this had receded and the water had warmed up, the penguins reappeared in large numbers.

It is not yet possible to say whether this unusual season is linked to long-term climate change. However, the observations are of interest to scientists, as gentoo penguins are sensitive to changes in sea ice and food availability.

Rosamaria Kubny, PolarJournal