Extreme snow stops whole Antarctic populations breeding in climate change warning

The researchers explained that Svarthamaren and nearby Jutulsessen are home to two of the world’s largest Antarctic petrel colonies — and are essential nesting grounds for snow petrels and south polar skua.

From 1985 to 2020, for example, the colony at Svarthamaren typically contained between 20,000–200,000 Antarctic petrel nests, 2,000 of snow petrels and more than 100 skua nests each year.

In the 2021–2022 breeding season, however, the researchers observed only three breeding pairs of Antarctic petrel, a handful of breeding snow petrels, and no skua nests at all.

Similarly, in Jutulsessen, the same period saw no Antarctic petrel nests, despite the area having played host to thousands of active nest in previous breeding seasons.

READ MORE: Antarctic sea ice melts to a record-smashing low, researchers report

Article source: https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1746081/extreme-snow-antarctic-seabird-breeding-climate-change