News Archives

Week of December 12, 2004

Friday Cat Blogging

Blue and her favorite TV show.

Posted by Jennifer on Friday, December 17 2004, 1:57 PM

Penguin chicks will likely starve

At the nearer edge of Antarctica is McMurdo Sound, where explorers have come when they want to trek to the South Pole. Permanent research stations are located here, where scientists monitor climate and wildlife.

This year a massive iceberg, labelled "B15A", has blocked the sound, preventing the normal breakup of Ross Sea ice and also keeping normal supply runs from reaching the scientists there. The people at McMurdo base are not yet concerned, as they keep a year's supply of food and fuel on hand, and alternate supply routes are already being planned.

But for two large colonies of Adelie penguins, the iceberg will spell disaster for this year's chicks, which are already born and waiting for their parents to bring food. The iceberg blocks the penguin's normal route, causing them to take more than twice as long in each trip to their feeding grounds, too long for the chicks to survive. As a result, watchers expect that nearly all of this season's chicks — over 50,000 — will be lost, leading to a reduction in the penguin population of 70% or more.

Photo: Adelie penguins in Antarctica.

Posted by Jennifer on Tuesday, December 14 2004, 4:00 PM

Some good news

New reports from the area where that Alaskan tanker broke up say that less oil was spilled than we had previously thought, and at least so far there doesn't seem to be widespread effects on local wildlife.

Posted by Jennifer on Tuesday, December 14 2004, 9:03 AM

Sorry

I apologize for being away so long, and without notice. I have tons of stuff backed up, but between the holidays, some work difficulties, and a generalized post-election depression, I haven't been posting at all. I'll get back to it, though.

Posted by Jennifer on Monday, December 13 2004, 6:55 PM

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