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| Penguins are in more trouble than we think (courtesty of IGN and 50 First Dates) |
Penguins don’t ever seem to cause trouble as
they waddle across icy lands such as Antarctica. One might even think penguins
are OVER-populating the frozen continent. This however, is a grave
misconception. Different species of penguins are experiencing population drops
all over the world. Penguins primarily inhabit areas in the southern
hemisphere. Areas within the southern hemisphere, such as South Africa and
Chile, are all seeing penguin populations dwindle from what they once were
because of human influence. However, some of the reasons for this decline in
population are incredibly similar, and can have parallel remedies.
There
are an abundance of threats that face penguins that inhabit the southern
hemisphere. Such factors can be observed in the situation facing humboldt
penguins in Chile and Peru. Humboldt penguins can be distinguished form other
penguins by the black bands that surround their chests. Environmentalists have
identified these penguins as “vulnerable” in Chile and “endangered” in Peru.
This is because of a
number of reasons. First, in 1978, a bridge was built to connect the mainland
of Peru to a resort island off shore. When asked about the bridge, locals
pointed out that they “have seen the detrimental impact of its construction
on animal and plant life.” The bridge also attracted rodent populations, which
consumed eggs of the penguins. Another serious threat is noted when scientists
determined, “blame also goes to the El Nino weather phenomenon and the warm
water current it carries.” These weather patterns reduce the amount of fish
that the penguins are accustomed to consuming. Fisherman in the area have also
contributed to the hunting of birds and fish that they eat. The followingfactors have left an estimated 50,000 penguins alive between the two countries.(1)
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| A humboldt penguin (National Geographic) |
It
is also worth investigating the almost identical scenario facing the Adelie
Penguins who migrate from Antarctica to South Africa. The South African
National Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds has concluded from
research that penguin populations, "had been reduced to about 10% of the estimated1.5-million that existed in 1910, and African Penguin populations have declinedby 95% since preindustrial times” (2). In a similar situation to the threat
against the Peruvian penguin’s eggs, the Adelie penguin is in a dangerous egg
situation. The destruction of eggs is attributed to, “guano scraping (the birds
make their nests by burrowing into guano mounds) and egg collecting — banned in
the 1960s — had eradicated large numbers of the African Penguin.” Also like the
humboldt penguin, Adelie penguins are facing food shortages. Their primary
foods, due to climate change, “changed their distribution since the mid-1990s,
from the West Coast to the South Coast,” which changes the behavior and ability
to survive of the penguin.
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| Statistics reflecting the populations of African Penguins (NPP) |
There are different implications that penguin extinction will have on human life. The roll of penguins in their environment can generally be viewed by observing the significance of royal penguins in southern Australia. There is already a lack of biodiversity in this area because keystones species, such as whales, are dying and causing overpopulations of krill and other planktons. Penguins serve their own purpose, and help out this environmental crisis by, “making sure that thebalance is not further disturbed by consuming krill. They play another role inthe ecosystem's balance by providing a food source for whales, seals and sealions” (3)
It
is also important to realize that the forces causing penguin vulnerability also
ruin the biological economy by which these countries, and our own, thrive. The
lack of fish in these areas will drastically effect the populations of other
wildlife in the area, leaving a smaller amount of resources for humans to use.
Also, we will have to change our behavior habits regarding wildlife use in
these areas if certain species are to disappear. The factors that kill these
fish also directly affect separate entities of business regarding the
environment and global trade. Energy Secretary Steven Chu said that these factors of populationloss could be, “the possible demise of all agriculture in the State ofCalifornia by century's end” (4). This in turn could lead to a change in where
we as Americans have to live in order to conduct business and gather resources. These factors can be observed by viewing the video bellow.
There
are a number of examples of steps that can be taken in order to prevent penguin
populations fro disappearing completely. One example is the preservation of
lands that are specially made for the purpose of being a sanctuary for endangered
species. Francis Helps managed to do this in New Zealand after he noticed the
negative effects of human development on penguin populations. John R. Platt
describes Francis’ actions when he says, “Francis Helps and his wife Shireenhave converted much of their farmland into a safe haven for the rare birds”(5). His efforts proved to be extremely successful after achieving the feat of
1,304 breeding pairs, the biodiversity of these species of penguins
skyrocketed.
Another example are
the actions of Penguin Foundation, who are aiming to educate the public about
these penguin extinction and what they can do to stop it. This is demonstrated
in their slogan, “the more we know, the more we can protect them.” They alsohave an area where people can donate. These funds are put towards thepreservation of lands for penguins and for penguins themselves. (6)
Penguins are cute,
cuddly, and in trouble. In order to prevent these organisms from disappearing,
humans must truly regulate the amount of development and construction that
happens in certain parts of the world. In these parts of the world, the
livelihood of the creatures that live there must be the priority of what
occupies these lands. Hopefully, the penguin will be shown this respect.
(6) http://penguinfoundation.org.au/index.php/
