Climate Change and the Penguins

Many people may believe that only human mothers truly care for their young. Human mothers feed their babies, change their diapers, give them baths, play with them, and sing them to sleep. Yes, it is true that human mothers are very nurturing, but there are animal mothers (or even fathers) that can be just as nurturing. For instance, the father Emperor penguin (which lives in Antarctica) freezes its butt off for four months in order to protect its offspring. With all that is going on in the world today, this wonderful creature may not be around for much longer. Factors such as global warming, a small population of surviving young, and a shrinking food source may result in the demise of this most wonderful and nurturing creature.

As many people have begun to realize, our planet is going through many changes. The Earth's climate is becoming warmer every year. Some climate models used by scientists predict that our planet's average temperature could go up by as much as ten degrees Fahrenheit or as little as two degrees Fahrenheit ("Climate Change," 2007). The burning of fossil fuels and deforestation has lead to an increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere. As the planet warms up, the ice at both poles will continue to melt and the penguin will lose its habitat. This would be disastrous because penguins only breed during the winter. A loss of breeding grounds means a loss of a population.

Since the Emperor penguins breeding season takes place during the harshest winter months, the baby penguins already have one strike against them. While the mother penguin goes in search of food, the father penguin tucks the egg under his stomach and keeps it sheltered from temperatures that can get as cold as sixty degrees Fahrenheit (maybe even more). Unfortunately, not all of the baby penguins make it to adulthood. One reason is because they may become separated from their parents. If this happens, they will starve or freeze to death. A second reason is that several wannabe parents may trample an orphan baby penguin because they have such a strong desire to be parents. Another factor that can determine whether a baby penguin survives is the availability of food sources. If the number of penguins dying is higher than the number that is living, then the entire population will fall.

A third reason the penguin may disappear forever is because its food supply may shrink as our planet's temperature continues to warm. As the planet continues to warm, there will be a shift in the range and distribution of plants and animals. Changing climate is not the only factor that may result in the disappearance of the penguin's food source. Humans are emptying the ocean's supply of fish and other sea creatures. The Emperor penguin's diet consists mainly of fish, squid, and other sea creatures. The combination of global warming and over fishing by humans may lead to the loss of the Emperor penguin's food sources.

If only every person could be there, in person, to see what mother and father penguins do. During the harshest winter months, the father penguins all group together into one big mass and keep each other warm (as well as their eggs) while the mothers search the cold sea for food. They are such great parents and it would be morally wrong to let this wonderful creature die off. If human beings do not change their ways, they will die because of global warming and a shrinking food source. An animal as devoted as the Emperor penguin deserves a fighting chance.

Source:

Climate Change: Basic Information. (2007, May 4). Retrieved June 29, 2007, from

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Web site:

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/basicinfo.html