Penguin Species in Peril

  • African penguins at the Bristol Zoo in England (Source: Arpingstone at Wikimedia Commons)

At the north pole… polar bears are threatened by melting sea ice. Now, on the other end of the earth… some penguin populations are dropping because of climate change and other threats. Rebecca Williams reports:

Transcript

At the north pole… polar bears are threatened by melting sea ice. Now, on the other end of the earth… some penguin populations are dropping because of climate change and other threats. Rebecca Williams reports:


Melting sea ice and warmer ocean temperatures are affecting the fish that penguins eat. Overfishing and oil pollution are other threats.


Pamela Hall is with the Fish and Wildlife Service. The agency wants to put seven species of penguins on the endangered species list.


“Hoping that by going forward with the listing of these particular penguin species we’ll be able to work with countries to do some cooperative conservation.”


The Center for Biological Diversity petitioned the government to get these penguins on the list. The group is upset that the agency denied protection for the Emperor penguin. You might remember them from the movie “March of the Penguins.”


Government scientists say the emperor penguin populations are stable right now… though they say that could change in the future.


For the Environment Report, I’m Rebecca Williams.

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Penguin Movie Ties Emotions to Global Warming

  • Emperor penguins and their chicks are featured in this documentary. (Photo courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

A film about penguins in Antarctica is being shown in art house theatres around the country. People who’ve seen the film are linking the destruction of the penguins’ habitat to the effects of global warming. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Chris McCarus reports:

Transcript

A film about penguins in Antarctica is being shown in art
house theatres around the country. People who’ve seen the film are
linking the destruction of the penguins’ habitat to the effects of global
warming. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Chris McCarus reports.


(Sound of music from the film)


The film March of the Penguins shows the birds at their cutest. Emperor penguins cradle their babies between their legs. They slide on their bellies on the ice. And they seem to kiss like people.


Joe Hawkey is a seventeen-year-old who saw a screening of the movie. He says our energy consumption is endangering penguins and other Antarctic wildlife. But, he says, it’s clear to him that people can do things to help.


“Turn off your lights. Unplug your tv. There’s lots of things you can do. So much pollution, especially with like, automobiles I think a lot more people should try and give their bikes a chance. Even walking. Cause even… help the environment. It’d be healthy for you too you know.”


The March of the Penguins film is based more on emotions than facts. But this approach might also have more impact on the audience.


For the GLRC, I’m Chris McCarus.

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