Peter Fretwell, British Antarctic Survey: We know that they 7breed on sea ice. We know that sea ice is one of the first things affected as temperatures warm, ocean temperatures, air temperatures, and we're starting to see these losses in 8Antarctica now. Our models are quite 9dire.
Lynda Kinkade: Dire because these penguins also lay their eggs and raise their chicks on sea ice. But with the ice melting away, the chicks may fall into the sea before they get their waterproof feathers, leaving them to freeze to death or 10drown. 11Despite the recent losses, 2023 wasn't as bad as 2022 for the emperor penguins. Scientists say it's because some 12colonies 13adapted to the 14worsening conditions by moving south to find better ice or to more stable ice shelves or icebergs.
Peter Fretwell: It was 15reassuring that it wasn't quite as bad as we'd feared with the worst ever sea ice, but it was still bad.
Lynda Kinkade: Well, this is a good sign. Fretwell says work still needs to be done to save the emperor penguin, and we should do it before it's too late.