Il pinguino imperatore è un animale che è in grado di vivere in condizioni ostili. In Antartide, è capace di prosperare in luoghi dove le temperature esterne arrivano a -40 °C, ma l’attuale ritmo di scioglimento dei ghiacciai, sta mettendo a dura prova la sua sopravvivenza.
Secondo uno studio pubblicato sulla rivista Global Change Biology, il pinguino imperatore diventerà “un altro simbolo del cambiamento climatico”. Quasi tutte le colonie stanno per raggiungere il punto di estinzione. Se le temperature continueranno ad alzarsi, il 98% spariranno entro il 2100.
Il motivo? Quest’uccello ha bisogno di “una proporzione perfetta” tra acqua solida e liquida perché dipende dal ghiaccio per tutte le sue attività vitali, come l'accoppiamento, la muta, la nutrizione. Il ghiaccio spesso è anche un importante rifugio dai predatori. Se si scioglie quindi, rende impossibile la vita.
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