African Penguins in dire straits

Penguins populations on South Africa’s Robben Island are feeling the pinch as climate change redistributes sardine and anchovy populations away from their nesting grounds. New York Times runs a nice story on the issue here.

Conservation groups are calling the penguins a “canary on the coal mine”, i.e. a first indicator of trouble in the deep sea from the combined effects of climate change, commerical fishing, and ocean pollution.

Alison Boyer described deep diving behavior in Emporer Penguins during Megavertebrate Week.